BARBARA KRUGER, Call Me, 2012

BARBARA KRUGER, Call me, 2012
178 x 153 cm / 60 x 70 inches
beach towel, original wrapping, tag
pristine condition
published by Art Production Fund: Works On Whatever, New York, USA
p.o.r.

Much of Barbara Kruger’s work engages the merging of found photographs from existing sources with pithy and aggressive text that involves the viewer in the struggle for power and control that her captions speak to. She develops her ideas on a computer, later transferring the results to oftentimes billboard-sized images.

History of prices:
Wright Auction, Chicago, USA 12 August 2021 € 596,- (hammer price)
Wright Auction, Chicago, USA 18 November 2020 € 1.203,-
Arthema Auction, Lille, France 26 September 2015 € 290,- (hammer price)
Art Production Fund: Works On Whatever, New York, USA September 2012 (year of issue) USA US$ 95.-

YOKO ONO, Imagine Peace, 2012 [beach towel]

YOKO ONO, Imagine Peace, 2012
178 x 153 cm / 60 x 70 inches
beach towel
published by Art Production Fund: Works On Whatever, New York, USA

Imagine Piece is Yoko Ono’s worldwide initiative of anti-violence. This ongoing project uses internet projects, posters, thoughts, badges and a multitude of other medias to communicate its message of peace to the global community. Here she used a beach towel. The record ‘Imagine’ conveyed John Lennon’s wish for world peace and harmony in simple terms, both musically and lyrically. It fact it was inspired by ‘Cloud Piece’, an instructional poem dated Spring 1963 that appeared in Yoko Ono’s book Grapefruit:
Imagine the clouds dripping.
Dig a hole in your garden to
put them in.

History of price:
Art Production Fund: Works On Whatever, New York, USA € 75,- / US$ 95.- September 2012

JOHN BALDESSARI, Wrong [1966-1968], 2012 [LACMA print]

JOHN BALDESSARI, Wrong [1966-1968], 2012 
71 x 56 cm / 28 x 22 inches
digital print on archival paper
edition unknown
published by LACMA, Los Angeles, USA
mint
rare
€ 340,- plus € 32,- Track & Trace EU registered mail
inv.JBal 000-pr

 

John Baldessari made this print as a painting between 1966 and 1968. He was intentionally questioning the conventions of photographic picture-making, among other things. He created this work after looking at an art instruction book about how to properly compose images. Baldessari had himself photographed in front of a palm tree. He comments: The person that did the book had sketches of the scene, of let’s say a landscape, but there would be two. And one would be right, according to him, and one would be wrong. And I loved the idea that somebody would just say that this is right and this is wrong. So I decided I would have a painting that was wrong, a work of art that was wrong, which seemed right to me.

Baldessari is interested in communicating his concept more than he is in creating something precious or unique. After he decided that his own handwriting was too personal and not distant enough he hired a professional sign painter to letter the word “wrong” you see on the original painting. This poster being just a mere reproduction may ‘as communicating his concept’ therefore be undeniably seen as a work of art, though unsigned.

John Baldessari says about his work: I’m very interested in both language and imagery; I don’t really know why, but I find word and image equally important. He is known for works that blend photographic materials such as film stills and applied discs in colour. He takes them out of their original context and rearranges their form, often outlining their shapes including the addition of words or short sentences.

This print is sold out at LACMA, Los Angeles, USA.

History of prices:
eBay-dynas-46, Secaucus, New Jersey, USA September 2023 US$ 450
eBay-hypegallery, Houston, USA August 2022 US$ 399

Upon Paper, No. 2, 2012

UPON PAPER No. 2: Los Angeles, 2012
68,6 x 50,8 cm / 20 x 27 inches 
SC, 80 pp., paper box
published by Hatje Cantz, Ostfildern, Germany
€ 85,- plus € 24,- Track & Trace registered mail

Published bi-annually, and housed in a paper box Upon Paper is a large-format periodical offering a platform for works on paper. Each issue is devoted to a single theme. The theme for this inaugural issue is ‘Color’ and comes with contributions of Peter Saville, Nick Knight, Francis Bacon, Erwin Frotin, Walter Pfeiffer and Bob Dylan.

Upon Paper, No. 1, 2012

UPON PAPER No. 1: Los Angeles, 2012
68,6 x 50,8 cm / 20 x 27 inches 
SC, 80 pp., paper box
published by Hatje Cantz, Ostfildern, Germany
€ 85,- plus € 24,- Track & Trace registered mail

Published bi-annually, and housed in a paper box Upon Paper is a large-format periodical offering a platform for works on paper. Each issue is devoted to a single theme. The theme for this inaugural issue is Los Angeles.

ROBERT BARRY, Art Lovers, 2006

ROBERT BARRY, Art Lovers, 2006                                                                                                                         27,6 cm x 27,6 cm
papers, 72 pages, in laminated box
numbered
edition 270 + 30 AP
published by Michèle Didier, Brussels, Belgium
not available

Art Lovers is an unbound book with plates superimposing two layers: a photographic portrait and a word outline cut into a black surface. Each portrait is covered by this black plane, turning the opening made by the word into letter shaped keyholes. The viewer can barely see the portraits and has to infer their subjects from a few sparse and vague elements. The 31 “Art Lovers” in question were photographed by the artist.

JOHN BALDESSARI, Brain / Cloud: with Seascape and Palm Tree, 2009

JOHN BALDESSARI, Brain/Cloud: with Seascape and Palm Tree, 2009
74 x 58 cm edition of 145
inkjet print
signed on certificate, numbered, dated                                                                                                                                        

John Baldessari: “I like banal images and I can’t think of anything more banal than a palm tree and an ocean.”
not available anymore

 

History of prices:
Counter Editions GBP 1,200.- September 2012