Artist: Jo Baer

Jo Baer (b. 1929, Seattle, US) was a transformative figure in the art world, reshaping Minimalism and becoming a key player in the avant-garde movement of 1960s New York City. Renowned for the precision and intellectual depth of her work, she navigated a male-dominated field, earning recognition for her ability to push the boundaries of contemporary art.

By the mid-1970s, Baer made a bold, defining shift in her artistic practice, moving away from Minimalism to explore deeper, more layered forms of expression. In 1975, she relocated to County Louth, Ireland, where she spent seven years living in a Norman castle. Drawing inspiration from the local landscape and ancient mythologies, this marked the beginning of her exploration into „radical figuration“—a style she developed alongside a growing interest in the intersection of time, history, and the natural world. Baer’s 1983 essay, “I Am No Longer an Abstract Artist,” formally signaled her departure from abstraction and embrace of figurative imagery.

Galerie Barbara Thumm is honored to present this solo exhibition as a tribute to Jo Baer’s extraordinary life and legacy. Baer was a longtime collaborator with the gallery, debuting her first solo exhibition here in 2010. Over the years, the gallery played a significant role in establishing her figurative work in Europe, contributing to its placement in international collections and ensuring it received the recognition it deserved. In 2013, Baer’s series “In the Land of the Giants” was showcased at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, a city she called home for over four decades. This exhibition was a pivotal celebration of her figurative work by a European institution.

The series was later shown at Galerie Barbara Thumm (2013) and the Whitney Biennial (2017). Notably, the Whitney Museum acquired one of the works for its collection, marking a significant moment in Baer‘s return to the U.S. art scene as a figurative artist. The current exhibition at Galerie Barbara Thumm includes preliminary drawings that Baer made for this body of work, inspired by the Neolithic megalithic monuments of Ireland. Additionally, we are presenting an exclusive, limited-edition portfolio of Giclée prints from the series, featuring an introduction by John Ros and signed and numbered by the artist herself. This rare edition of 15 offers collectors a great possibility to appreciate some of Baer’s most significant works.

The exhibition also features three exceptional preparatory vellum sketches from the early 1990s, which Baer created as studies for collages that would become some of her key paintings. Furthermore, the series of drawings titled “Altar of the Egos (Through a Glass Darkly)” presents an unusual study for a later self-portrait, combining collage techniques with personal and mythological symbolism. Among the motifs are the ancient Egyptian Eye of Horus, a symbol of protection and healing, and the silhouette of a blue peacock, representing beauty, rebirth, and royalty. These elements are paired with portraits of Baer at various stages of her life, forming an intimate self-reflection that led to one of her earliest self- portraits, acquired by the Kröller-Müller Museum in the Netherlands for its collection.

This exhibition offers a rich overview of some of Jo Baer’s most distinctive works following her shift to figuration, celebrating her enduring legacy and her long-standing relationship with the gallery.

Throughout her career, Baer held numerous solo exhibitions at renowned institutions, including the Camden Arts Centre, London (2015); the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (2013, 1999); Museum Ludwig, Cologne (2013); Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven (2009, 1986, 1978); Dia Center for the Arts, New York (2002); and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (1975). Her work has also been featured in group exhibitions and biennials, including the 31st Bienal de São Paulo, Brazil (2014); Busan Biennale, Korea (2012); and MoMA, New York (2017, 2016, 2008). Her art is held in prestigious public collections worldwide, such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York; Tate Gallery, London; and the Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt.

Text by: Susana Turbay Botero