The photo above is one of John Baldessari’s most famous photos, titled “I Will Not Make Any More Boring Art,” created in 1971. It shows an image with poor composition juxtaposed with the text “WRONG” below the photograph (“Wrong”). The photo captures the moment of a man standing right in front of a tree, creating the illusion that the tree is growing on top of his head. Many critics point out the poor clarity and weak usage of space and balance. Adding on to the poor composition, the use of black and white color greatly increases the visual irony of the photo, suggesting the idea of “Why did he label his own photo wrong?” Today, the world views the image as a “wrong” photograph, not only because the photo is poorly taken, but also because the word “WRONG” affects and influences our interpretation. Every element of the photograph highlights the artist’s observation of the rules of artistic creation. The simplicity of the artwork emphasizes the conceptual focus of the work, which allows viewers to reflect on the judgments made in visual art (“Wrong (1967)”).

Baldessari’s message in the image was, “Why should our work be judged?” Reflecting on this, his thoughts have influenced me to think differently; let’s not judge a photo just by its appearance. Even if we don’t know the purpose of the artwork, the word “WRONG” truly helps us consider how today’s world and Baldessari himself define the word. I believe that having the word in a huge bold font on an image that others might define as a “wrong image” is what makes the photo intriguing. The vocabulary also plays a part in increasing the curiosity of the photo with a sense of wit. The photo seems to suggest how Baldessari wanted others to understand it, utilizing awkward composition and defining it as wrong. I believe he provokes viewers to think about what defines “right” or “wrong” and how such strict rules and aesthetics shouldn’t dictate the judgment of art. The photo criticizes and highlights that creativity given to art is unlimited, and that there’s no wrong photograph.

By understanding the true meaning of a photo such as John Baldessari’s “Wrong,” I believe that a bad photo can definitely be a great photo. We shouldn’t just judge art only by its features, shapes, perspective, etc. Of course, some people might think that a beautiful photo is what we should strive for, which is sometimes correct. However, the purpose of a photo and its interpretation are the significant aspects of photography. Therefore, how perfect and pretty the photo looks isn’t the most important element we should focus on; it’s how well the photo represents the message and purpose that the photographer wanted to express, which is what creates an actual “great” photo. For Baldessari’s photo above, it might seem extremely awkward just with the man standing on the street with a poor perspective and composition; however, the word “WRONG” below the photo truly deepens the viewer’s understanding, making it inspirational and thought-provoking. In conclusion, even though the photo may seem incomplete, a bad photo can definitely be a great photo with the proper context and purpose.

 

Work cited:

Baldessari, John “Wrong” Photograph. Dragon’s Exchange. ISB,19th August 2025. https://dx.isb.cn/dash/#/classroom/945836/sections/lesson/962482/page/962485, Accessed 23rd August 2025

“Context – its about the title – Blog Post 1” ISB, https://dx.isb.cn/dash/#/classroom/945836/sections/lesson/962482/page/962485. Accessed 23rd August 2025

“Wrong – 1967, John Baldessari.” Wikiart, www.wikiart.org/en/John-baldessari/wrong-1967. Accessed 23rd August 2025.

“Wrong (1967) by John Baldessari” Artchive, https://www.artchive.com/artwork/wrong-john-baldessari-1967/, Accessed 23rd August