John Baldessari Sends His Best Wishes:

The Initial Inquiry

Dear Mr. Baldessari,

My name is Kathy Webb, a participant of Front Range Community College’s Museum & Gallery Studies Program, exploring the evolving definition of sculpture using objects, conceptual ideas, and social media. I am completing an independent study in art criticism and theory and would like to invite you to comment on our collective project Object, No Object: Sculpture of Ideas. We are not only curating concurrent on-line and site/time specific exhibits but also hopefully facilitating a public dialogue about the very nature of contemporary art, it's direction, and the commentary it makes on a digitally enhanced, hyper-modern society

I am particularly interested in the developing discourse of what drives interest, audience and the artist. Which is more important the product (object) or the recognition of the process (non-object)? This very question, I believe, is the crux of where the current debate sits among artists, critics and academics alike.

I would like to ask you what you believe are the most significant changes to occur in art in the last 100 years and how the audiences’ appreciation has also changed.

I sincerely appreciate your time & consideration.

Best,

Kathy Webb
FRCC Museum & Gallery Studies
http://be-art-smart.blogspot.com/

The Response

Dear Kat(hy),

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. John was back for a very short time before he had to travel again to new york and miami. I'm sorry but he will not be able to comment on your project because of his overwhelming travel and exhibition schedule. He sends he best wishes for your project.

Kind regards,

Shelly