Amazing
1 work
Mel Bochner — Exasperations For Sale
The Exasperations series represents a pivotal body of work by Mel Bochner, showcasing the conceptual artist's characteristic wit and intellectual rigor. Created during a period of significant artistic experimentation, these works employ text-based compositions and linguistic play to explore themes of frustration, ambiguity, and the limits of understanding.
Titles such as Maybe, It Could Be Worse, I Don't Want To Think About It, and I Don't Get It / I Still Don't Get It demonstrate Bochner's distinctive approach to language as a primary artistic medium. The series reflects his engagement with institutional critique and phenomenological inquiry, positioning language itself as both subject and material.
The Exasperations series holds notable significance within Bochner's oeuvre and the broader conceptual art movement. These works continue to resonate with collectors seeking substantive, intellectually rigorous contemporary art that challenges conventional aesthetic frameworks.
Select works from this series remain available for purchase. Contact us to enquire about availability, provenance, and pricing for specific pieces.
12 works available
Mel Bochner
Don't Make Me Laugh
2023
Mel Bochner
I Don't Get It / I Still Don't Get It
2014
Mel Bochner
I Don't Want To Think About It
2023
Mel Bochner
I Forget
2014
Mel Bochner
Is This It?
2023
Mel Bochner
It Could Be Worse
2023
Mel Bochner
Look Who's Talking
2023
Mel Bochner
Maybe
2023
Mel Bochner
Seriously
2023
Mel Bochner
So What
2023
Mel Bochner
That's All Folks
Etching with aquatint
Mel Bochner
What's The Big Idea
2023
Five Facts About Mel Bochner Exasperations
- 01
The Exasperations title derives from the Latin "exasperatus," meaning "to roughen," and the series catalogues synonyms for frustration: exasperate, irritate, frustrate, infuriate, irk, vex.
- 02
The site-specific phrases behind the series originated in installations Bochner made for the 2018 Carnegie International.
- 03
A 2023 group of nine etchings with aquatint, each 22 x 30 inches in an edition of 20, was printed exclusively in Prussian Blue ink and published by Two Palms Press, with individual titles including "It Could Be Worse," "So What" and "Look Who's Talking."
- 04
A related cast-paper series, "What Am I Doing Here?," renders the Exasperations text sculpturally in black and white, with the lettering projecting several inches from the surface.
Market Data
See real auction history, estimate ranges and price benchmarks for individual Exasperations prints, sourced from Christie's, Sotheby's and other major auction houses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy Mel Bochner Exasperations prints for sale?
Mel Bochner Exasperations prints for sale are available at Guy Hepner Gallery, 529 West 20th Street, New York (by appointment). We offer authenticated editions with full provenance documentation sourced from the secondary market and directly from publishers.
Are Mel Bochner Exasperations works limited editions?
Mel Bochner Exasperations works — 12 available — are typically produced as limited editions, individually signed and numbered by the artist. Contact Guy Hepner Gallery for edition details on specific works.
How much do Mel Bochner Exasperations prints cost?
Pricing for Mel Bochner Exasperations prints varies by edition size, date, and condition. Contact Guy Hepner Gallery for current market pricing and availability.
From the Journal
More Mel Bochner Series
View all Mel Bochner works →
