The Rod Reversed (Mixing Memory and Desire) (1985)
The Risen / Originals is an exhibition presented by the PACE Gallery NYC which features the work of American artist Jo Baer. The Risen is a collection of five paintings, originally dating back to 1960-61, before they were subsequently destroyed and recreated, and serves as a display of Baer’s prolific experimentation in minimalism. In juxtaposition, The Originals is a collection of Baer’s work dating from 1975 to present day. This leg of the exhibitions shows off the artist’s departure from minimalism and her progression towards a more “image-based aesthetic”.
The Risen remembers the pioneering that Baer achieved as a female artist in the 1960s. At a time when many other artists were experimenting with abstraction and minimalism, Baer was able to stand out amidst her male peers. Her vivid colors and bold shapes remain impactful to this day, as can be seen through the selection on display at PACE. Works like Wink (1960-61/2019) prove Baer’s mastery of form and color; its vibrant orange orange triangles quite literally winking at its onlooker, as the title suggests, amidst a dynamic collection of black and white forms.
The second collection, Originals, serves as a lovely counterpart to The Risen. This collection gives visitors a chance to travel through Baer’s artistic journey, as she departs from abstract minimalism and delves into image based work, declaring herself to “no longer be an abstract artist”. Throughout Originals Baer explores a middle ground between abstraction and figuration, pulling inspiration from prehistoric art, as well as her homes throughout Europe. In works such as The Rod Reversed (Mixing Memory and Desire) Baer plays with human and animal form while maintaining a surreal and minimal landscapes, sparking curiosity and intrigue.
The Risen / Originals serves as a commendatory dedication to Baer’s life and body of work, and proves to be a refreshing exhibition. Visitors become able to physically witness Baer’s evolution as not only an artist, but as a person. The exhibition is an intimate and flattering window into Baer’s life and mind.
I really enjoyed reading your exhibition review. It concisely points out your main takeaways of the show while explaining the importance of Baer's retrospective and how work from two periods of her life have merged together to express the artist's evolving practice. In the last paragraph you mention that the show "proves to be a refreshing exhibition." Perhaps you could elaborate on how it is refreshing, as the term itself doesn't feel specific enough. Additionally, you mention that the exhibition is "an intimate and flattering window into Baer's life and mind," but I suggest replacing the word flattering with something else, as an intimate window of the work goes far beyond flattery.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your exhibition review. It concisely points out your main takeaways of the show while explaining the importance of Baer's retrospective and how work from two periods of her life have merged together to express the artist's evolving practice. In the last paragraph you mention that the show "proves to be a refreshing exhibition." Perhaps you could elaborate on how it is refreshing, as the term itself doesn't feel specific enough. Additionally, you mention that the exhibition is "an intimate and flattering window into Baer's life and mind," but I suggest replacing the word flattering with something else, as an intimate window of the work goes far beyond flattery.
ReplyDelete