John Baldessari's "Choosing (A Game for Two Players: Carrots)" (1972) exemplifies his experimental approach to art, merging conceptual frameworks with playful interactions. This work, part of Baldessari's broader engagement with chance, accident, and game-playing in the early 1970s, underscores the artist's shift from traditional painting to incorporating elements of photography, video, and performance into his oeuvre. By focusing on the selection process of carrots, Baldessari transforms a mundane decision-making act into a study of aesthetic preference and subjectivity, inviting participants to impose their criteria on seemingly trivial choices.

Baldessari's art during this period was characterized by his exploration of the boundaries and definitions of art. His practice became notable for its inquisitive nature, questioning the norms of artistic creation and perception. This era saw Baldessari engaging with the materiality of art in innovative ways, as demonstrated by his "Cremation Project" (1970), where he burned all the paintings he had produced between 1953 and 1966. This act of destruction and transformation marked a pivotal point in his career, signaling a departure from traditional forms and a reevaluation of the art-making process.

In the context of "Choosing (A Game for Two Players: Carrots)," Baldessari's work can be seen as part of his broader investigation into the mechanisms of perception and the role of the artist in directing attention towards the overlooked or mundane. His approach to art was deeply influenced by his surroundings and the cultural milieu of Southern California, where he often drew from everyday life and popular culture to critique and redefine artistic conventions. By the 1980s, Baldessari further expanded his exploration of imagery, utilizing found photographs and manipulating them through cropping, painting, and juxtaposition to create new, often ambiguous narratives.

"Choosing (A Game for Two Players: Carrots)" not only reflects Baldessari's playful engagement with the art-making process but also his enduring influence on contemporary art. His work challenges viewers to reconsider the value and meaning of art in everyday contexts, encouraging a more active and questioning engagement with the world around them. Baldessari's legacy, as an artist and a teacher, has left an indelible mark on generations of artists, shaping the trajectory of conceptual and post-conceptual art practices​ (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)​​ (Moderna Museet i Stockholm)​​ (TFAOI)​.