john baldessari: the giacometti variations

john baldessari - the giacometti variations
fondazione prada, milan, italy
october 29 - december 26, 2010



'the giacometti variations' by john baldessari
image © designboom


'the giacometti variations' by american conceptual artist john baldessari is an original installation
made to be featured at the prada foundation in milan, italy. as the name of the project states,
baldessari took influence from the imagery projected by the swiss sculptor, alberto giacometti,
and has created nine, oversized female figures stretched to an extremely slender form.
the 4.5 meter tall sculptures, made out of resin and steel then sprayed with bronze, were clothed
in garments and objects also designed by baldessari. the result is an immobile, snapshot of
a fashion show, integrating the ideas of art and fashion on a dramatic, larger-than-life scale.

'I've always wanted to do tall paintings and sculptures. I suspect it's because I am quite tall.
I've had little opportunity since most galleries have wall heights that mirror the wall heights
of collector's homes,' says baldessari.



exhibited sculptures
images © designboom



'the giacometti variations' by john baldessari, 2010
courtesy of the artist and fondazione prada
photo by roberto marossi



'the giacometti variations' by john baldessari, 2010
courtesy of the artist and fondazione prada
photo by roberto marossi


between the columns and under the exposed arches of the space at the prada foundation,
the figures are dressed in looks are grounded in archetypes found in the interrelationship
between film and fashion, such as the hot-pink bow in duchess satin (an ironic revisiting
of the 1950s hollywood glamour of marilyn monroe), dorothy's ruby slippers in 'the wizard of oz',
and humphrey bogart's trench coat in 'casablanca'.



'the giacometti variations' by john baldessari, 2010
courtesy of the artist and fondazione prada
photo by roberto marossi


the installation will unfold in segments throughout the months, showing a total of eighteen
different loos in rotation. through this process of transformation, baldessari aims to underscore
our society's current trend of consumption and the rate at which fashion is consumed. 



'the giacometti variations' by john baldessari, 2010
courtesy of the artist and fondazione prada
photo by roberto marossi



'the giacometti variations' by john baldessari, 2010
courtesy of the artist and fondazione prada
photo by roberto marossi



'the giacometti variations' by john baldessari, 2010
courtesy of the artist and fondazione prada
photo by roberto marossi



'the giacometti variations' by john baldessari, 2010
courtesy of the artist and fondazione prada
photo by roberto marossi