Meet John Baldessari

Read About the Artist John Baldessari

John Baldessari (1931–2020) was known for painting, photography, video art, sculpture, and exhibition design. He lived and worked in Santa Monica, California.

As a young artist, Baldessari began using images and text from the movie and advertising industries with his photo-based art. He would take pictures and movie stills and juxtapose them with words. The combination of images and words created interesting, and sometimes funny new meanings.

Throughout his long and celebrated career, Baldessari was inspired by popular, everyday culture like art, movies, and commercials. Over time, he increased the size and visual impact of his work, as seen in Specimen (After Dürer).

Questions

Write or discuss your responses.

• How does Specimen (After Dürer), which features a giant bug with an equally gigantic pin sticking through it, reflect Baldessari’s sense of humor? Do you think it’s funny? Why?

• Baldessari sometimes used things people see every day, like movies, cartoons, or ads in his art. What is one thing that you see every day that can be described as art? Write two to three sentences explaining your answer.

Place close together or side-by-side, permitting comparison or contrast. Visual artists often suggest new meanings by juxtaposing images or ideas.