Art Funded by you

Aligning: Balls

John Baldessari, 1972

Baldessari is widely regarded as the leading conceptual artist in contemporary art. This installation comprises of 41 colour photographs and a chalk line. The artist photographed a single ball in the air, then installed the sequence of images according to the location of the ball in the image and drew a pencil line at the level that the ball appears, to connect each photograph. This significant early career work encapsulates the irreverent but intelligent process by which the artist set out, from the mid-1960s, to question the notion of a 'right way' to make art. Through a variety of purposefully 'wrong' works, the artist took apart and exposed the conformity of traditionally taught art.

More information

Title of artwork, date

Aligning: Balls, 1972

Date supported

2012

Medium and material

Color photographs and graphite on wall

Dimensions

Photos each: 8.9 x 12.7 cm; Overall dimensions variable (depending on wall length)

Grant

100000

Total cost

431061.9525

Content note: This object record is part of our archive and has not been updated since it was first published. It may contain inaccurate information or outdated language. Please get in touch if you think this record should be amended.

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