Jon Imber's Paintings Explore Fatherhood and Artistic Legacy at Queens College Museum

From May 1 to June 15, 2013, the Godwin Ternbach Museum at Queens College presented "Palaemon: A Survey of Paintings by Jon Imber." This career survey showcased Imber's vibrant paintings, which uniquely address the tenderness of fatherhood—a subject rarely explored in painting. His works create metaphors about vulnerability and trust, depicting scenes where a father carries, cocoons, or watches over his son. The exhibition revealed an artist capable of moving naturally between figuration and abstraction according to each painting's needs, without the artistic angst experienced by his teacher, Philip Guston. Guston bequeathed his collection of paints to Imber, highlighting their connection. Imber's approach combines playfulness with deep knowledge and a commitment to authenticity. The paintings suggest the intertwining of father and child as two aspects of the same character—conscious and subconscious. However, masterful painting technique ultimately overrides the subject matter itself. The museum is located at 65-30 Kissena Blvd in Flushing, New York.