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Blockage (Yellow)
2005

John Baldessari's Blockage (Yellow): With Person (Black And Hippopotami (Blue and Red), 2005 is a captivating piece that exemplifies the artist's innovative approach to blending digital technology with traditional art forms. This work features a three-dimensional digital archival print with acrylic paint on Sintra, Dibond, and Gatorfoam panels, measuring 71 x 86 inches (180.34 x 218.44 cm). The piece was featured at Marian Goodman Gallery, indicating its significance within Baldessari's oeuvre during the mid-2000s​ (Marian Goodman)​​ (Sprüth Magers)​.


Baldessari's exploration in the Blockage (Yellow) series reflects his broader artistic inquiries into the intersection of text, image, and the conceptual frameworks that underpin visual art. By incorporating digital printing techniques alongside manual interventions such as acrylic painting, Baldessari challenges traditional distinctions between photography, painting, and printmaking. This approach is indicative of his wider practice, which often sought to question and expand the boundaries of what art could be, employing a blend of humor, critique, and visual puns to engage with and subvert expectations​ (Art Salon)​.


The Blockage (Yellow) series, along with other works from this period, demonstrates Baldessari's ongoing interest in juxtaposition, montage, and the re-contextualization of imagery. His work from the early 21st century, including this series, continues to influence contemporary art discourse, contributing to discussions around the role of technology, appropriation, and the construction of meaning within visual culture.