Jo Baer: Towards the Land of the Giants

Once an artist is written about, curated, collected, and fitted within a neat framework, there is this sense that the artist has somehow been 'figured out.'

"...[Jo Baer] however, has resisted this black-and-white way of thinking and compartmentalization ... At 86, she is vibrant and maintains an enthusiastic and playful studio practice, even as she continues to struggle to show this more recent, and amazing, body of work, which is too often is compared to her earlier minimalist paintings.

Her current exhibit, (opens in a new window) Jo Baer: Towards the Land of the Giants, at the Camden Arts Centre, features works from 1960 to 2013. Though there is actually an equal amount of works represented for each phase of her work, her latest paintings occupy more gallery space and are more prominently displayed. In general, the galleries are well-hung. All too often it feels that curators decide to cram in as much as possible into a space, overwhelming the viewer in an unnecessary and unintended way. Luckily, this exhibit, like much of the work in it, allows for contemplative space."

Read the full review in (opens in a new window) Hyperallergic.