I will not make any more boring art

May 17, 2012 12:56 PM

A Brief History of John Baldessari The Godfather of conceptual art. Narrated by Tom Waits. (SLYT)
posted by fearfulsymmetry (11 comments total)

I am always on the fence of Balderessi, but I think I mostly love him for how funny and casual he is, and how generous/open he is to other artists and students, this openness is found all the way.
posted by PinkMoose at 1:20 PM on May 17, 2012 [3 favorites]

I got my BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, which in the 1970s was sort of ground zero for conceptual art. The older profs, many of whom came from far and wide at the time, hold Baldessari --who spent some time there himself -- in great esteem.

A lithograph of "I will not make boring art" hangs in the school's lobby. The school ring bears that inscription in Latin. I am wearing it right now.

I've always found that piece to be the most boring art I've ever seen. I'm pretty sure that was the point. I'm pretty sure the school mucky-mucks don't get it at all.
posted by Sys Rq at 1:31 PM on May 17, 2012 [2 favorites]

I am so totally lame, as I had never heard of John Baldessari before watching this video... but... what a phenomenal video it was! I'm so glad I watched.
posted by kbanas at 1:45 PM on May 17, 2012

Thanks, I thoroughly enjoyed it--
posted by rmhsinc at 1:51 PM on May 17, 2012

That was a video about John Baldessari.
posted by R. Mutt at 1:59 PM on May 17, 2012 [5 favorites]

I love Tom Waits; he has the voice of an angel. A very hungover angel who smokes two and a half packs of cigarettes a day, but an angel nonetheless.
posted by surazal at 3:08 PM on May 17, 2012

How it is valued.
posted by FauxScot at 3:49 PM on May 17, 2012

This made my month. Thank you for sharing it with us.
posted by stellaluna at 4:01 PM on May 17, 2012

This was directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, the guys behind Catfish and... Paranormal Activity 3.
posted by alexoscar at 4:33 PM on May 17, 2012

Neat video. I learned of him through a recent New Yorker profile (paywall). He's also been featured on PBS' Art21 series.
posted by unmake at 5:13 AM on May 18, 2012

This is so Baldessari!
posted by i_wear_boots at 7:26 PM on May 18, 2012