Choosing : Green Beans

John Baldessari
Choosing : Green Beans

Photographs: John Baldessari

Text: John Baldessari

Publisher: Edizioni Toselli Milano

26 pages

Year: 1972

Comments: Softcover, 300 x 215 mm. First edition, 1972. Limited to 1500 copies. Text in english and in italian. Bump a little bit, mostly on the spine. Very fresh copy. "A highlight of minimalist conceptual art in the 70s" (Parr & Badger, The Photobook, vol. 2, 146-146)

This work is part of a series of works about choosing. In this version a group of green beans was available from which to choose. A participant was asked to choose any three beans from the group for whatever reasons he/she might have at the moment. Thre three chosen beans were then placed upon a surface to be photographed. I chose one of the three beans for whatever reasons. I might have had at that moment. A photograph was taken of the selection process. The chosen bean was carried over ; the two other beans not chosen were discarded ; two new beans were added. The next choice was made, and so on. Each of the participants develops strategies unknown to the other player as the selection process continues until all the beans are used.

John Baldessari