Everything you need to know about John Baldessari – godfather of conceptual art
In 1970, the American artist John Baldessari cremated every painting he had made between 1953 and 1966, and promised not to make any more boring art. In the ensuing years, he has created countless works across a range of media; his art has travelled the world, and he has been hailed as a surrealist for the digital age. But who is John Baldessari, really? Narrated by the singer-songwriter Tom Waits, and overflowing with grand ideas and amusing footnotes, this film is a glimpse into the life of an artistic giant.
Directors: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Producers: Mandy Yaeger, Erin Wright
videoHistory of science
Insect aesthetics – long viewed as pests, in the 16th century bugs became beautiful
8 minutes
videoNature and landscape
After independence, Mexico was in search of identity. These paintings offered a blueprint
15 minutes
videoMathematics
Spiral into the ‘golden ratio’ – and separate the myths from the maths
4 minutes
videoArt
A young Rockefeller collects art on a fateful journey to New Guinea
7 minutes
videoArchitecture
A lush tour of Fallingwater – the Frank Lloyd Wright design that changed architecture
14 minutes
videoArt
Defying classification, fantastical artworks reframe the racism of Carl Linnaeus
8 minutes
