Memorial for An Art World Body (Nevermore) 2009

Jo Baer made this large-scale painting, Memorial for An Art World Body (Nevermore), layering paint and collage to build up a surface of visual complexity and conceptual density. Baer's application of paint varies from flat, opaque areas to more textured and translucent passages. The overall composition is ambitious, incorporating a range of motifs like the constellation maps, Venus emerging from the sea, and silhouetted figures which combine to suggest a complex network of symbolic associations. Look closely at the central figures, these forms appear ghost-like, created from delicate washes of paint and thin glazes. It is these barely-there forms, set against flat grounds of solid black that contribute to the painting's emotional resonance, creating a sense of both presence and absence. For me, this piece is similar to the work of Jess Collins, in the way it brings together disparate elements and imagery to create an enigmatic whole, allowing for multiple readings. It's a work that embraces ambiguity, inviting us to contemplate the ever-shifting landscape of meaning and interpretation in art.