John Baldessari
John Anthony Baldessari (June 17, 1931 – January 2, 2020) was an American conceptual artist known for his work featuring found photography and appropriated images. He lived and worked in Santa Monica and Venice, California.
John Baldessari | |
|---|---|
Baldessari in 2009 | |
| Born | John Anthony Baldessari June 17, 1931 National City, California, US |
| Died | January 2, 2020 (aged 88) Los Angeles, California, US |
| Known for | Painting, conceptual art |
| Notable work | Everything is Purged... (1966–68), Tips for Artists Who Want to Sell (1966–68), Bloody Sundae (1987), Frames and Ribbons (1988), Noses & Ears, Etc.: Blood, Fist, And Head (With Nose And Ear) (2006) |
| Style | Contemporary Art |
| Spouse | Carol Ann Wixom (1960–1984) |
| Awards | 2014 National Medal of Arts Award, Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, awarded by La Biennale di Venezia, Goslarer Kaiserring |
Initially a painter, Baldessari began to incorporate texts and photography into his canvases in the mid-1960s. In 1970 he began working in printmaking, film, video, installation, sculpture and photography. He created thousands of works which demonstrate—and, in many cases, combine—the narrative potential of images and the associative power of language within the boundaries of the work of art. His art has been featured in more than 200 solo exhibitions in the U.S. and Europe. His work influenced that of Cindy Sherman, David Salle, Annette Lemieux, and Barbara Kruger among others.