Painter Ed Ruscha will receive the 2009 National Arts Aword.
The 71-year-old artist was one of the pioneers of the pop art movement in the '60s. His work frequently incorporates text into the image along with prominent beams of light. His most famous works depict various aspects of Southern California life, including the abundance of billboards and other text-based signage.
In his own words:
Good art should elicit a response of "Huh? Wow!" as opposed to "Wow! Huh?"
http://www.edruscha.com/
