John Baldessari

John Baldessari

            John Baldessari is an American artist.  Originally, Baldessari was a painter, but now he is known for his conceptual work with photography, appropriated images, and even prints.  His early works involve canvas paintings with text and photographs.  Baldessari painted the backgrounds of canvas and then adds words to communicate ideas.  The words are intended to look commercial, and have large impact: “A two-dimensional surface without any articulation is a dead experience”.  John Baldessari uses juxtaposition in his artwork to create more meaning.  Something unique that Baldessari does is he explores games within art.  In pieces such as Four Events and Reactions and Throwing Three Balls in the Air to Get a Straight Line, he experiments with objects and then takes the best results.

            I was very inspired by John Baldessari’s use of games within art.  The results of these games are chance art, and I like the idea of making art into a game with no idea of the results.  I also like the large impact that his words on canvas have on audiences.  Another thing that Baldessari does that is interesting is he takes found photographs and separates pieces of them, and adds solid colors to make shapes.  I like that he finds these photographs and alters them to make them his own.