Slaughter 1998

Curator: Jo Baer's mixed-media piece "Slaughter," created in 1998, blends drawing and acrylic paint, producing quite an evocative landscape, wouldn't you say? Editor: Evocative is one word for it. I’m struck by how aggressively this work defies a single, easy interpretation. The combination of architectural elements, rockets, and, well, what *are* those phallic shapes? Curator: Ah, yes. Notice how Baer employs a visual language of power, juxtaposing the architecture, a symbol of societal control and historical dominance, with these forms that could be construed as weapons or perhaps masculine symbols. It conjures a sense of unease, perhaps related to suppressed cultural memories resurfacing. Editor: And there's the title, "Slaughter", stamped on top. The mixed media execution lends this piece a brutal, almost slapdash quality that mirrors its aggressive subject matter. It's as if Baer wanted the process to reflect the rawness she’s portraying. The heavy use of what looks like black outlines makes it almost comic-book like, which complicates things even further. Curator: Precisely. This contrast is central. There's an echo of propaganda posters or perhaps even ancient hieroglyphs mixed with a deliberately "rough" application of materials. That’s so her style. She invokes familiar symbols only to undermine them, suggesting their participation in systems of destruction. The crude depiction challenges the glorification that's so often associated with those symbols of power. Editor: The landscape feels manufactured, imposed. Like an industrial wasteland built upon the foundations of classical forms. Seeing the layering, the tangible manipulation of the medium, underscores how meaning is physically constructed – both in the artwork and perhaps more broadly, in culture itself. It pushes one to examine the underbelly. Curator: Ultimately, Baer seems to present a warning. The cultural weight of those archetypes—cathedrals, missiles—become instruments not of progress but devastation when misused. They all bear a weight, or even bear a silent expectation that comes from their long lineage. Editor: It's almost as though by physically wrestling with her materials she's enacting a struggle against these ideas herself. “Slaughter” demands we consider not just what these icons *represent* but also the forces of labor and manipulation that keep them potent. It seems this particular assembly suggests how those icons become entangled. Curator: Indeed. Considering how she brings all those associations together through symbolism encourages further critical thought about art, representation, and ultimately about the messages being conveyed. Editor: Agreed. It's a harsh landscape built from layered critiques. Quite effective.