John Baldessari's Text Paintings, created between 1966 and 1968, mark a significant period in his career where he explored the relationship between text, imagery, and artistic intent. During these years, Baldessari began to incorporate texts and photographs onto canvas, deliberately eschewing traditional artistic methods to focus on conceptual messages. This shift was driven by his dissatisfaction with his earlier works and a desire to employ a more objective use of language that could directly impact viewers without the distraction of artistic style or the artist's hand evident in the work​ (Wikipedia)​.

An essential feature of these text paintings was the employment of sign painters to inscribe the canvases with phrases derived from contemporary art theory, in a stark, commercial font. This choice was a strategic move by Baldessari to distance himself from the physical creation of the artwork, aiming instead to highlight the conceptual underpinnings of his work. One of the seminal works from this period includes a painting with the ironic statement "A TWO-DIMENSIONAL SURFACE WITHOUT ANY ARTICULATION IS A DEAD EXPERIENCE" (1967), directly challenging the viewer to reconsider the nature of art and its consumption​ (Wikipedia)​.

Baldessari's Text Paintings were not just isolated experiments but part of a broader inquiry into the nature of art, its creation, and its reception. These works questioned the importance of the artist's physical touch in the value of art and instead emphasized the idea and the process behind the artwork. By utilizing text, Baldessari engaged in a dialogue with the viewer, inviting them to partake in a conceptual experience rather than a purely visual one.

These paintings also served as a critical foundation for his later works, which continued to explore the intersection of text, image, and idea. Baldessari's approach was emblematic of the burgeoning Conceptual Art movement, which sought to elevate the concept or idea behind the artwork above the finished product itself. His text paintings, with their focus on language and the de-emphasization of the artist's hand, were crucial in this shift towards conceptualism in contemporary art.

Baldessari's work from this era, including the Text Paintings, has been influential in expanding the boundaries of art and in exploring the potential of language as a medium. His exploration of text in visual art continues to inspire artists and challenge audiences, making his work from this period a pivotal contribution to the field of Conceptual Art​ (Wikipedia)​​ (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)​​ (Experimental Studio)​.