In June 1931 famed navigator Harold Gatty + aviator Wiley Post took off on the first attempted round world flight, cricketer Charlie Parker (not to be confused with jazz musician “yardbird” Parker) reached 100 wickets and… John Baldessari was born.
Of all the influential artists you have never heard of, John Baldessari is, if not at least the most influential then the tallest and most recognisable. Rising up at 6’7 with a beard of white he openly talks about his fascination with other “like-heighted” people, Clint Eastwood… “how tall is he?” asks John Baldessari… 6’2, he has nothing on statuesque John.
First a painter, John Baldessari progressed into text + photography, he went on to become the “godfather” of conceptual art. He is the guy that “put dots over people faces”…. only he could sum himself up in such a understated manner. Thank you John Baldessari for not making anymore boring art, as promised.
Sit back, watch, look, listen as the all incredible Tom Waits fills you in on the “Brief History of John Baldessari”. This is definitely a short film to watch.
