Dusk (Bands and End-Points) 2012

Jo Baer made this painting, Dusk (Bands and End-Points), with what seems to be oil on canvas. Look at how she has let the edges of the forms dissolve, like a memory fading, or the sun setting. For me, artmaking is like remembering, but in color and shape. The matte surface of the grey paint gives it a feeling of something old, like it has been there for a very long time, a bit like fresco. But the dark tower-like forms on the right feel like they are looming up close. It makes me think of Agnes Martin, but with spooky candles. And this pale yellow line that joins the forms has a very material presence, like it is actually holding the different sides of the painting together. This work reminds me that painting is an ongoing conversation. It is not just about seeing but also feeling and thinking about what it means to be in the world. It's about questions more than answers, and Jo Baer is really good at that.