John Baldessari presents: "The Giacometti Variation"

John Baldessari and sketches for two mannequins

row of Giacometti mannequins revisited and disguised by Baldessari inside the industrial space of the Prada foundation

particular one of the installations inspired by Giovanna D'Arco

photographer Manuela Pavesi

Miuccia Prada

architect Cino Zucchi

the incredible slide made by artist Carsten Holler connecting Miuccia Prada’s office to the car park inside the Prada headquarter in Milan

Milan_Californian artist John Baldessari has designed a totally new project for the Prada Foundation, entitled "The Giacometti Variations." It consists in a series of massive figures, about 4.5 meters high, inspired by the imagery of the Swiss sculptor, who will be dressed and accessorized with items and clothes, designed by himself, to form a hypothetical parade.

"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. A few years ago, I was invited to show in Haus Der Kunst, Munich. Since the entrance hall is extremely tall, I began thinking about tall work I could do there to capture the space. One of my ideas was the idea that I have proposed to the Prada Foundation. My plan is to elongate standing Giacometti sculptures and clothe them with garments. To extend an extreme existing idea to it’s logical conclusion has been a working method for me. Giacometti figures are the most skinny and emaciated sculpture that exist. Why not push that further? Also there currently is a blurring of art and fashion. Furthermore it is au courant, almost de rigueur that fashion model be extremely tall and thin. Why not fuse the two- art and fashion since that idea is in our zeitgeist? I’m sure I was also inspired by the Degas Ballerina sculptures clothed with real tutus. The finished work would be the row of columns (at the foundation building)
alternating with clothed attenuated pseudo Giacometti figures. Is this parody? I’m not sure. I hate categories and definitions- I certainly am borrowing. Isn’t this what artists do? Doesn’t art arise from art? What I am doing is furthering an idea- that is the requirement of any good art.”
John Baldessari, December ’09

The exhibition is at Fondazione Prada in via Antonio Fogazzaro 36 (Milan) from 29th october to 31st december 2010