Jo Baer, a revered painter and a significant force in the art world, has passed away at the age of 95, as confirmed by Pace Gallery.
The cause of death remains undisclosed.
Known as a trailblazer in Minimalism during the 1960s, Baer’s evolution as an artist was profound, leaving behind a remarkable legacy over her extensive six-decade career.
Artistic Journey and Minimalism
Throughout her time in the art community, Baer continuously expanded the ways in which viewers interact with visual art.
While her contemporaries often delved into similar themes, her works resisted strict categorization, never allowing themselves to be confined to a single style or movement.
In the early 1960s, Baer found herself amidst other notable Minimalist artists like Dan Flavin and Sol LeWitt.
Yet, she carved out her own identity within this predominantly male sphere.
Although critics attempted to align her with the Minimalist genre, her vision transcended simple classification, addressing broader and more intricate ideas.
Embracing Figuration
By the 1970s, Baer embarked on a bold departure from abstraction, embracing figuration instead.
Rumors even surfaced that she had destroyed prior Minimalist works in her quest to redefine herself as an artist.
In a candid letter to Art in America in 1983, Baer voiced her disillusionment with abstraction, claiming that modern avant-garde art peaked in the 1970s and could no longer progress.
Her fearless exploration of creativity not only shaped her own path but also inspired countless emerging artists who followed her lead.
This spirit of innovation was palpable during the 2017 Whitney Biennial, where Baer, the oldest participant, presented her work as a compelling and contemporary take on figuration.
Over time, Baer’s figurative art began to garner the recognition it truly deserved, while interest in her earlier Minimalist pieces also resurged.
Her iconic works from the 1960s featured sharp square canvases painted predominantly in white, embellished with dark accents and striking borders in colors like hot pink and electric green.
Baer described these pieces as symbols of light and boundaries, revealing her knack for imbuing profound significance into seemingly simple designs.
Nevertheless, some critics struggled to grasp her intentions, sparking valuable dialogue about her artistic approach.
A Legacy of Innovation
Approaching the fundamentals of painting with a fresh perspective, Baer often rearranged the presentation of her works to emphasize their relationship with the gallery space.
She cleverly hung her art below eye level or clustered pieces closely together, inviting viewers to engage more deeply with the environment surrounding them.
In the early 1970s, Baer pushed her boundaries further by creating a striking series of paintings featuring innovative triangular shapes of color inspired by the orchids she cultivated.
These uniquely shaped pieces challenged conventional interaction with art, eliciting mixed reactions from critics.
While some admired their complexity, others found them difficult to interpret.
Born Josephine Gail Kleinberg in Seattle in 1929, Baer initially hesitated to pursue an artistic career, despite encouragement from her mother.
She first studied biology at the University of Washington before delving into perceptual psychology and philosophy at the New School for Social Research in New York.
A life-changing encounter with a Matisse drawing during her graduate school applications drew her irresistibly toward the world of art.
Baer’s early artistic endeavors found their roots in Abstract Expressionism, but she quickly transitioned to Hard-Edge painting, securing her place in the vibrant art scene.
By the 1970s, her work was featured in prestigious exhibitions, including Documenta and the Whitney Museum of American Art, where her talents captured international attention.
Frustrated by the shifting trends in New York’s art landscape, Baer relocated to Ireland, adopting her distinctive approach to “radical figuration.” This style intertwined images, blending elements of people, places, and objects into rich, multilayered narratives.
Her creative spirit flourished in this new environment, leading her eventually to Amsterdam, where she lived out her days and actively exhibited across Europe.
With a relentless commitment to artistic growth, Baer’s career was characterized by a passion for originality and a firm rejection of clichéd practices.
Her legacy endures, serving as a beacon of inspiration for artists and art lovers alike.
Jo Baer’s life was a testament to the power of creativity and the courage to defy convention.