John Baldessari once told Hans Ulrich Obrist that one of the fundamental concepts for him about art is that "you choose one thing over another. That's the bottom line." This is the idea that inspired us to work with him to make the first iPhone/iPad application by a major contemporary artist.
I've been having fun playing with it -- someone told me that it's great creative procrastination. The app invites users to make their own still life by rearranging the 38 objects in Abraham van Beyeren's Banquet Still Life from 1667. We launched In Still Life 2001-2010 yesterday, which would not have been possible without the support of Ovation. Check out some of the still lifes that have been shared on Flickr and Twitter so far.
After the preview last night of Pure Beauty, Baldessari's retrospective at LACMA, guests including Robert Downey Jr., Jeffrey Deitch, Eli and Edythe Broad, Ann Philbin and Mike Kelley were the first to see Baldessari's installation W/Studio 54 commissioned especially for Wolfgang Puck's restaurant CUT in Beverly Hills. The restaurateur joked that their newly commissioned Baldessaris are even better than the ones at the museum.
Everyone was asked to come dressed in primary colors to match the artworks (even the cookies matched). Guests received special Baldessari masks (rumor has it they were screened at Gemini G.E.L.) and goodie bags with Baldessari WRONG erasers, Pencil Stories and Tips for Artists Who Want to Sell magnets.
Join the ongoing celebration for the great artist at LACMA this weekend. Here are a couple of fun highlights:
•Saturday night Gemini G.E.L. debuts a new suite of Baldessari editions. The artist will be on hand to sign copies of his new book John Baldessari: A Catalogue Raisonné of Prints and Multiples, 1971-2001. Check out Foot and Stocking (with Big Toe Exposed) 2010 from 4-7pm (rsvp to editions@geminigel.com).
•Sunday Pure Beauty opens to the public. LACMA opens at 11am, get there by 2pm to hear the artist in conversation with exhibition curator Leslie Jones. Tickets required and are available at the box office one hour prior to the talk.