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Baldessari, John (Artist/Photographer) & Various Contributors : John Baldessari: Brick Bldg, Lg Windows W/xlent Views, Partially Furnished, Renowned Architect

Kerber Verlag, Bielefeld, Germany, 2009

ISBN 386678306X

First Edition / First Printing. Fine in No Dust Jacket, As Issued. 140 pages. Exhibition catalog presented as an Artist Book. Limited Edition, as stated. Published as a hardcover original only, the limitation is not stated. The Limited Edition is now scarce. An austerely elegant production by John Baldessari: Oversize-volume format. Pictorial hard boards with titles on the cover and spine, as issued. Art by John Baldessari. Essays by various contributors. Printed on pristine-white, thick coated stock paper in Germany to the highest standards. Without DJ, as issued. Published on the occasion of the exhibition/installation of the same name held at Museum Haus Lange Krefeld from March 1 through July 19, 2009. Presents John Baldessari's "deconstruction" of yet another cultural artifact and sacred cow. This time, it's architecture, and it's no less than the legendary Bauhaus architect Mies van der Rohe. "Commissioned to produce an installation for Mies van der Rohe's Museum Haus Lange, John Baldessari decided to 'rub the building up the wrong way' with humorous interventions" (Publisher's blurb). Haus Lange was temporarily "violated" by Baldessari, to make us aware of the pompous solemnity not just of van der Rohe's building, but of all imposing buildings. If he did this in Chicago, he would not have escaped unscathed, or alive. John Baldessari has spent his entire artistic life making us aware of, commenting, reflecting, and refracting acutely on modern life, however ordinary, harmless, and banal such life may appear to be. He restores to art and culture the simple, raw, and elemental power they used to have in our lives. Particularly with Modernist art and aesthetics, Baldessari renews a sense of the human scale that he believes we may have irretrievably lost in our relentless quest for "Progress". He makes us aware that the pervasive idea of life-as-art or life-as-"lifestyle" is not just unbearably pretentious, it is downright offensive to our innate humanity. An absolute "must-have" title for John Baldessari collectors. This title is a contemporary art classic. This is one of few copies of the Limited Edition still available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright, a pristine beauty. Please note: Copies available online have serious flaws or are remainder-marked. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A scarce copy thus. 140 plates. One of the greatest artist/photographers of our time. A fine copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER JOHN BALDESSARI TITLES IN OUR CATALOG). ISBN 386678306X.

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