JOHN BALDESSARI SILK SCARF FOR CIRRUS GALLERY c.1996

JOHN BALDESSARI
 SILK SCARF FOR
CIRRUS GALLERY
c. 1996



at the behest of visionary Jean Millant, founder of Cirrus
Editions and Cirrus Gallery in Los Angeles and major
contributor to the successful emergence of California
artists in the 1970's by prioritizing their work for
publication and exhibition, John Baldessari designed and
supervised the production of this crepe silk scarf to be
 sold at the Cirrus Bookstore and a handful of carefully
selected like-sources in San Francisco, New York, Boston,
Washington D. C., Philadelphia and Atlanta, all through
the good offices of Mr.Millant and Cirrus

scarves are 100% silk crepe, velvet black letters and
linear design on a pearl white body, 36" x 36" with
hand-rolled hems and made in Korea 

Mr. Baldessari most succinctly relates the story of the text:
"I WILL NOT MAKE ANY MORE BORING ART was my response to
Nova Scotia College of Art and Design to do an exhibition there,
which took place from 4/1 - 4/10/1971. As there wasn't enough
money for me to travel to Nova Scotia, I proposed that the
students voluntarily write, "I will not make any more boring art"
on the walls of the gallery, like punishment. To my surprise
they covered the walls."

to those of you who are pronouncing this artist's name for the
first time, we suggest that you keep that little fact a close
guarded secret and at least accept the fact that he is one of
the most influential artists of his time, and is currently the
subject of a retrospective exhibition at the Tate Modern,
London, an honor in and of itself--one of the most prestigious
that can bestowed on any artist, living or otherwise  

(a second equally important suggestion to the philistine
element out there would be this: should you be so adventurous
to actually purchase this scarf, do a bit of googling and
select one work of the artist that appeals to you for any
reason in the world known only to you, memorize its
title and year realized, so when you wear the scarf and
others notice and feel compelled to address you with some
esoteric Baldessarism, you simply reply "Studio, 1988"
or other such work  and walk away, victorious)


condition
scarf was acquired by this seller when first introduced 
in the mid 1990's and has been stored for the past
 13 years; it was dry cleaned a few days ago and is in
"as new" condition, noting that this "as new" means
13 years later

scarf will be shipped in its original Cirrus custom designed  
cardboard packaging with BALDESSARI printed to one side
and CIRRUS to the verso (see images)