John Baldessari

Donated by the artist and Marian Goodman Gallery, New York and Paris

Paris, Galerie Marian Goodman, Hands and/or Feet (Part One), October - November 2009

This work is in excellent condition overall. There are no apparent condition issues with this work. Framed under Plexiglas.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Hands and/or Feet (Part One): Duck Feet/Swimfin (2009) is a large-scale three-dimensional print overpainted in acrylic, in which the boundaries between photography, painting, and sculpture coalesce. Part of a series of the same title, the work continues Baldessari’s exploration of body parts examined in isolation, as in the earlier series Noses & Ears, Etc. (2006), Arms & Legs (Specif. Elbows & Knees), Etc. (2007), and Raised Eyebrows/Furrowed Foreheads (2008). This “fascination with parts of things” (John Baldessari, Walter Annenberg Annual Lecture, November 20, 2008) has been an emblem of the artist’s work, in which the human figure is often partially obscured or elided in order to redirect viewers’ perceptions to normally overlooked portions of the visual field. In its juxtaposition of two disparate, found photographic images, the work also presents an example of Baldessari’s penchant for revealing the surprising (and humorous) meanings that can arise when visual elements collide.