A lifelong preoccupation with the American diner

Raised in Atlanta, John Baeder (b. 1938) is best known for his photorealist paintings and prints of mid-century diners. Originally considered mere source material for his paintings, Baeder’s photographs have now emerged as stand-alone works of art. This exhibition included three major groupings of Baeder’s photographs: his early black-and-white shots of Atlanta in the early 1960s; his photographs of handmade street signs taken over the course of more than 30 years; and his photographs that make up the exhibition “John Baeder’s American Roadside,” organized by Thomas Paul Fine Art in Los Angeles. Baeder’s early photographs of his hometown originated as a side project while he was working as an art director at a large advertising agency in Atlanta. His photographs of street signs, with which he developed a fascination in 1962, demonstrate the artist’s interest in letterforms, composition and brushwork. “John Baeder’s American Roadside,” the artist’s first solo exhibition of photographic works, documented Baeder’s lifelong preoccupation with the American diner and other off-interstate structures.