The artwork “Pure Beauty,” created by John Baldessari in 1968, is an exemplar of the Conceptual Art movement. Despite being classified under the genre of figurative art, it takes a minimalist approach, challenging traditional artistic norms of the time by presenting a text-based message without accompanying visuals.
“Pure Beauty” features a plainly-styled text that reads the words “PURE BEAUTY” against an unadorned, sparse background. The stark presentation of words with an absence of visual complexity invites viewers to reflect on the meaning of beauty and question the relationship between the language and the concept it signifies. This piece serves as a mode of direct communication through its simplicity, encouraging a personal and subjective interpretation, which is a fundamental aspect of Conceptual Art.