SOME QUOTES:

I didn’t say that paint is dead, no, what I said is that there was Art to be done beyond painting. it’s quite different. John Baldessari (to Hans Ulrich Obrist in 2012)

Talent is not enough, you have to be obsessed.

What could I do to this to make it art?

What interests me in art is the absurdity in life

EDUCATION

1949-53 B.A., San Diego State College. San Diego, CA.
1954-55 University of California at Berkeley. Berkeley, CA.
1955 University of California at Los Angeles. Los Angeles, CA.
1955-57 M.A., San Diego State College. San Diego, CA.
1957-59 Otis Art Institute. Los Angeles, CA.
Chouinard Art Institute. Los Angeles, CA.

Baldessari was born June 17, 1931, in National City, California.
He lives and works in Santa Monica, California,
He is Six-foot-seven
John Baldessari is THE Master of conceptual art, THE Master of appropriation, even if he doesn’t like to be categorized. How do we recognize he is a master? when an artist could make a whole career by taking just one single idea from Baldessari’s work.

Baldessari is that indubitable leader of free acting, free thought ,free speech, freedom in making art with no limits. He likes to play with appropriation of imagery taking pre-existing imagery and re-configuring it. He likes to interact with words, with meanings.

Baldessari has been an influential teacher.

I was pretty good at it, and I enjoyed it

1996-2007 University of California, Los Angeles. Los Angeles, CA. Professor of Art.
1970-1988 California Institute of the Arts. Valencia, CA. Professor of Art.
1967-1970 University of California, San Diego. San Diego, CA. Professor of Art.

I realized that teaching is about communication

Three things Baldessari believes every young artist should know:

1/ Talent is cheap,
2/You have to be possessed which you can’t will
3/ Being at the right place at the right time

SOME VIDEOS WITH AND ABOUT JOHN BALDESSARI

As Baldessari is an excellent communicant, you can watch many good videos with John Baldessari explaining his art and process on Vimeo, Ubu. Below are some good ones

Excellent conversation with Hans Ulrich Obrist about how, when, why Baldessari decided to be an artist, what Obrist called the Epiphanies of Baldessari.

John Baldessari & Hans Ulrich Obrist at Art Catalogues, 7.29.2012 from Art Catalogues on Vimeo.

John Baldessari: Some Stories (1990) by Peter Kirby
https://www.ubu.com/film/baldessari_stories.html

 

A Brief History of John Baldessari – Directed by Henry & Rel from Shortlist on Vimeo narrated by Tom Waits

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THE ART OF JOHN BALDESSARI

In 1970 John Baldessari burnt much of his early work (work between 1953 and 1966) in a “cremation project” because “no on was buying it anyway..” that shows that when you are a pioneer you ride alone for a long time before the recognition comes.

 

PERFORMANCE: “I will not make any more boring art” 1971:

here: https://www.ubu.com/film/baldessari_boring.html

In 1971, Baldessari was commissioned by the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Canada to create an original, on-site work. Unable to make the journey himself, he suggested that the students voluntarily write the phrase “I will not make any more boring art” on the gallery walls.

Baldessari’s fame became international the day he put dots on people’s face on the images he collects.

If you can’t see their face, you’re going to look at how they’re dressed, maybe their stance, their surroundings… You really do see that handshake. You know, it’s not about those guys, it’s about that handshake. It’s about cutting that ribbon.”

 

 

 

JOHN BALDESSARI IS AT MARIAN GOODMAN GALLERY SINCE 1999

CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ: https://www.baldessari.net/

WEBSITE (not updated since 2013): https://www.baldessari.org/