John Baldessari was an American conceptual artist known for demonstrating the narrative potential of images and the associative power of language within art. In his early work, Baldessari wanted the text to impact the viewer without distractions, causing them to think instead of just see. “Pure Beauty” from 1968 was one such work and he had this to say about it: “What is pure beauty? Ultimately, it’s a very subjective experience. You know, it could be a painting by Rothko. It could be about color, it could be about a beautiful landscape. But ultimately, everyone’s notion of pure beauty is different. This work is conveying that very idea…that pure beauty is whatever you want to envision in your head.”
