Mel Ramos
American, 1935 - 2018AC Annie, 1972
Not on view
Offset lithograph on paper
Dimensions30 1/4 × 24 1/2 in.
Museum purchase, 1977.7
The first known spark plug was invented on February 2nd, 1839 by Edmond Berger, but in the 1900s, France dominated the spark plug market, and Albert Champion, a renowned motorcycle racer, continued to build on this technology. Champion moved from France to Flint, Michigan where he founded Champion Ignition Company for the manufacturing of spark plugs. However, this company went bankrupt. In 1908, Champion established a new company with the assistance of the Buick Motor Company called AC (Albert Champion) Spark Plug Company. In 1927, Champion died of a heart attack and General Motors purchased the remaining stock held by his estate. Today, the company is referred to as AC-Delco, maintaining part of Champion’s name in each spark plug made, as seen in this lithograph entitled AC Annie.
Mel Ramos was born in Sacramento, California in 1935 and attended Sacramento State College for both his B.A. and M.A., graduating in 1958. Ramos was considered a Pop artist that specialized in pinup girl themes tied to other products of mass popular culture. Ramos has won various awards such as the National Endowment for the Visual Artists Fellowship Grant in 1986.
