“John Baldessari has been called the godfather of conceptual art, a master of appropriation, a surrealist for the digital age. He’s made paintings, photographs, billboards, videos, films, sculptures, digital art, credit cards and an iPhone app. In 1970, John Baldessari burned everything he ever made.” —Tom Waits
Happy Birthday John Baldessari, born June 17, 1931.
This witty film about Baldessari, narrated by the inimitable Tom Waits, covers everything from the number of solo shows he’s had in his lifetime (over 200) to his height (6’7”) to his influence on generations of artists. The video was commissioned by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for its Art + Film Gala in 2011.