Immediate Response
John Baldessari’s Beach Towel puzzled me at first. When I originally saw this image I was drawn to the blue dot covering the woman’s face, seeming to be facing down at the bright orange umbrella, which then led my eyes to the green ball she is standing on. I then almost felt forced to interpret the image with my own mind. For example, I first imagined the woman as happy and having fun on the beach, but then realized she could also be concerned as it appears she is struggling to balance on whatever is underneath the green blob. I noticed the image could change depending on my judgement, as Baldessari blocked out the main aspects humans relate too.
Objective Description
Beach Towel by John Baldessari depicts a woman at the beach balancing on a green ball. The woman’s face is hidden underneath a perfectly round blue circle. Next to her is a bright orange umbrella with equally spread black and white dots covering it. Every dot have been shaded dark on the right side eventually merging into white on the left side hinting that the sun could be positioned off frame to the left. Besides the ball, umbrella and circle covering the woman’s face, the rest of the drawing is completely black and white. The woman is wearing a 1950’s style bathing suite, and the horizon, connecting the ocean and the sky, is positioned slightly below her waist.
Technical Decisions
John Balderassi first created this piece by using three-dimensional digital archival print with acrylic paint on Sintra, Dibond, and Gatorfoam panels. It was later printed onto a beach towel, hence the name Beach Towel. Balderassi uses subtraction in this piece. As mentioned previously only 3 objects in the painting have color, drawing the viewers eyes to these three objects first. Two of the colored objects seem to be crucial to any drawing or picture, the face and the ball, the object that creates the story of the drawing. This was no mistake by Balderassi however, as it forces the viewer to interpret the image however the viewer sees fit, making the viewer incorporated with the art itself.
The Work in the World
The work is meant to remind the viewer of fun times at the beach. Perhaps meant to dig into the viewers past and bring back memories from similar activities they have had to at the beach, similar to what the woman is depicted doing. Because the woman’s face is covered, leaving it up to interpretation, I found that I brought my own memories into the image. The woman could be imagined having fun, as most people, including myself, have fun memories at the beach. If one had a traumatizing memory of the beach, the woman could also be seen as concerned or scared of losing her balance.
The Story it Tells
Similar to most of his work, Balderassi is trying to draw the viewer in by allowing them to participate with the image. The brightly colored censors against the black and white background draw the viewer’s attention to them first, while also leaving the true meaning of the piece up for interpretation. When viewing images, especially of people, humans are naturally drawn to the face, as we rely on facial expressions to get by socially in our everyday life. By taking away this, the Balderassi leaves the story up to the viewer, allowing them to imagine whatever they feel fits. This is the true beauty of Beach Towel it is not a piece one can simply look at and move on, but rather a piece that forces unique thoughts, memories, and different stories.