Critical Debate Over Jo Baer's Minimalist Paintings at 2003 DIA Exhibition
The exhibition 'Jo Baer: The Minimalist Years, 1960-1975' held at DIA in Chelsea in 2003 garnered a variety of responses. While Roberta Smith from the New York Times and Carol Diehl of Art in America commended Baer's earlier black band paintings, Jim Long of Brooklyn Rail expressed a preference for her later Orchid series. Richard Serra engaged Baer in a discussion regarding the innovative aspects of her wraparound paintings. Carter Ratcliff's 1972 article in Art Forum brought attention to these pieces. The black band works challenged the Minimalist assertion that painting was no longer relevant, echoing Dan Flavin's neon rectangles. The exhibition, which featured art from 1960 to 1975, concluded on June 15, 2003.
Key facts
- Jo Baer's exhibition 'The Minimalist Years, 1960-1975' was held at DIA in Chelsea through June 15, 2003
- Critical reception divided between black band paintings (1960s) and wraparound Orchid paintings (later period)
- Roberta Smith (New York Times) and Carol Diehl (Art in America) praised black band paintings
- Jim Long (Brooklyn Rail, Winter 2002) preferred wraparound paintings
- Richard Serra asked Baer 'How does it feel to do revolutionary work?' about wraparound paintings
- Carter Ratcliff wrote first major article on Baer's work in Art Forum (May 1972)
- Black band paintings responded to Minimalist claims by Donald Judd and Robert Morris that painting was dead
- Wraparound paintings drew from James J. Gibson's 1966 perceptual psychology work
Entities
Artists
- Jo Baer
- Richard Serra
- Donald Judd
- Robert Morris
- Dan Flavin
- Kenneth Noland
- Jules Olitski
- Madeline Gins
- Shusaku Arakawa
- Carter Ratcliff
- Roberta Smith
- Carol Diehl
- Jim Long
- Clement Greenberg
Institutions
- DIA
- New York Times
- Art in America
- Brooklyn Rail
- Art Forum
Locations
- Chelsea
- New York
- United States