Trifecta Of Great San Diego Artists At Palomar

In 1971, artist and former San Diego resident, John Baldessari was invited to exhibit at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, but the school could not afford to fly him out from Los Angeles.

Baldessari's response was to have the students write "I Will Not Make Any More Boring Art" on the walls of the gallery, "like punishment." The students - god love 'em - covered the walls with it.

An edition of 50 "I Will Not Make Any More Boring Art" prints were published by the College without Baldessari's direct supervision. He did, however, videotape himself writing the phrase over and over, for 30 minutes.

The iconic example of text-based post-studio art continues to assert itself in popular culture. Of late, it has been immortalized in song and discreetly underpins a recent episode of "The Simpsons."

You can see one of the historic "I Will Not Make Any More Boring Art" prints featured in "B Sides & Rarities - Selections From The Permanent Collection," an exhibition at Palomar College's Boehm Gallery from October 13th to November 3rd, along with other works by Baldessari, Richard Allen Morris and Russell W. Baldwin (1933-2008).

The show sounds like a natural trifecta, since Baldwin was director of Palomar's art gallery for decades and the three artists were true comrades.