John Baldessari, Man with Snake

“I go back and forth between wanting to be abundantly simple and maddeningly complex. I always compare what I do to the work of a mystery writer—like, you don’t want to know the end of the book right away. What a good writer does is give you false clues. You go here, no, that’s not right; you go here, no, that’s not right, and then…I much prefer that kind of game.”  – John Baldessari, Grass

John Baldessari was a highly influential American conceptual artist who is best known for his pioneering use of appropriated imagery. He is widely regarded as one of the most important artists of the 20th century, and his artwork has had a significant impact on the development of contemporary art. Baldessari’s artworks challenged traditional notions of art and art-making, exploring the ways in which images and language can be manipulated to create new meanings. Playing a pivotal role in the text-based art movement, he often incorporated text and found images into his artwork, using them to question the role of the artist and the art object. By juxtaposing images and text, John Baldessari delved into the power of language and the way in which art is communicated.  His extensive body of work demonstrates the power of communication that can arise when texts and images are used in unison. Baldessari does this whilst offering a commentary on contemporary culture. Although he was initially a painter, since the 1970s, John Baldessari has worked less with paint and increasingly with collage as well as printmaking, film, video installation, sculpture and photography. This move away from painting gave rise to his interest in billboards, and the ways in which they function as a popular means of communication. John Baldessari’s work with limited edition prints excelled in seamlessly integrating diverse media into cohesive artworks. His printmaking practice enabled the layering of photographic images, text, and bold abstract forms, creating complex visual narratives that subvert conventional art expressions. Additionally, the release of fine art prints allowed Baldessari to make his playful conceptual ideas more accessible to a wider audience. One of Baldessari’s most notable artwork is titled Throwing Three Balls in the Air to Get a Straight Line (Best of Thirty-Six Attempts). Created in 1973, the series documents Baldessari throwing three balls into the air and attempting to capture them in a straight line. The images are playful and absurd, challenging our expectations of what constitutes a work of art, whilst highlighting the inherent subjectivity and unpredictability of artistic creation. The title of the series reflects Baldessari’s interest in the relationship between the artist, the viewer, and the artwork. Influences from fellow artists including Barbara Kruger, Cindy Sherman, David Salle and Annette Lemieux are evident throughout much of his oeuvre. American, 1931-2020.

John Baldessari, Man with Snake