On the wall: art at 'ino

BACK ROOM: JOHN BALDESSARI 

‘ino is proud to present four limited edition prints by John Baldessari (1931-2020) produced in in collaboration with the print publisher, Gemini G.E.L.  

One of the most influential figures in postwar American art, Baldessari consistently challenged -- with conceptual rigor and dry humor -- how images convey meaning, using fragmentation, repetition, and irony to invite viewers to see familiar things in unexpected ways.

Two prints from his Emoji series (2018) transform two familiar Apple emojis (the pear and the peanut) into bold, graphic compositions. Removed from their digital context and enlarged to monumental scale, these icons hover between abstraction and language, with the addition of the text “xmas cake” and “luxury sedan”, further disassociating the emojis from any apparent linguistic equivalence.

These are paired with two prints from Baldessari’s Hands and Feet series (2017) which use vintage photographs that the artist has cropped and possibly reconfigured. By isolating partial bodies—hands gathered around a dinner table (waiting for service?), and the bent knees of girls patiently waiting on stools (to serve?) and the alarming inexplicable intrusion of a man's sleeved arm appearing to pry one girl's knees apart  — the artist allows suggestion and association to replace narrative, leaving meaning open-ended. 

The mystery and suspended drama, even violence, in these cropped images,  stand in stark contrast to the apparent whimsy of the enlarged hyper-realistic unreal emoji, which equally silent and mysterious, appear ever so slightly threatening.

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FRONT ROOM: JOEL SHAPIRO 

Best known for his kinetic, off-balance sculptures, Joel Shapiro (1941-2025) also embraced printmaking as a medium of exploration and immediacy. The three works currently on view include screenprint, lithograph, woodcut, and collage techniques, each revealing a distinct facet of his restless visual intelligence.

Joel once said that “drawing is a way of approaching the world—it’s about thinking, feeling, and discovering” -- a sentiment recalled by the late, much-loved critic, Dave Hickey, in his meditation on the artist’s work. In that spirit, the prints, now displayed above the banquette opposite our bar,  invite us to pause—to look closely, feel deeply, and remember the clarity and humanity of Shapiro’s vision.

All works are on loan from Gemini G.E.L at Joni Weyl in an ongoing collaboration.  Prices available on request. 

more information on the artist

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ARTWORK on view at 'ino is accompanied by digital art placards produced by  and courtesy of RECTANGLE