Jo Baer, an artist known for her significant contributions to the American minimalist movement, refers to her five large-scale abstract paintings in the “The Risen” series (1960/61–2019) as her “zombie” works. Although she has lived in Amsterdam for four decades, Baer remains a prominent figure in the New York art scene, recognized for her dynamic engagements with critics, sculptors, and dealers. Originally created in the early 1960s and destroyed by the artist, these works were meticulously documented through Polaroid photography before being recreated in 2020.
The series features bold, blocky shapes and striking color combinations, reflecting Baer’s unique approach to abstraction. This style bridges her earlier works, which appropriated signature styles of renowned abstract artists, and her later optical-light studies that emphasize perception and shadow play. The most notable critical analysis of “The Risen” came from Lucy Lippard in a 1972 Art in America essay, where she acknowledged the difficulty of fully grasping Baer’s vision. Baer’s decision to destroy the original works stemmed from her belief that the art world was unprepared for them.
Today, “The Risen” continues to captivate audiences with its unconventional color contrasts and its challenge to traditional notions of abstraction. The original titles of the pieces, such as Big Belly and The Wolf, provide intriguing insights, inviting viewers to explore deeper meanings and resist simplistic interpretations.
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