Ed Ruscha's *Whiskers, Splinters* presents two evocative words rendered in the artist's characteristically precise, graphic lettering against a stark background. True to Ruscha's ongoing exploration of language as image, the pairing invites viewers to consider the tactile and sensory associations of each word independently while contemplating the unexpected tension created by their juxtaposition. The work exemplifies Ruscha's enduring interest in the power of text to simultaneously communicate and destabilize meaning.