The Pencil Story (II)

Format: Photographs and pencil on board 
Dimensions:  70 cm x 60 cm
Date: 2003
Edition: Unique

‘The Pencil Story’ draws inspiration from John Baldessari’s artwork of the same name (1972-1973). In Baldessari’s piece, he juxtaposes two shots of a pencil—the first dull, the second sharp. Below the images, a caption recounts the artist’s discomfort with the dull and dirty pencil on his car dashboard, leading to his decision to sharpen it, pondering its connection to art. Doherty’s work reinterprets this gesture, juxtaposing a shot of a newly sharpened pencil with a second shot depicting the pencil being smashed to bits.

Referring to his artwork ‘The Pencil Story’ (1972/73), Baldessari said, “People ask me what my favourite piece of art is and it’s this one. Because I thought I got it exactly right. If I could do all my work like that, I’d be very happy, that’s a benchmark for me.”

John Baldessari – This Not That” Documentary,  2010