The Light in the Depths 1975

Alice Baber made ‘The Light in the Depths’ using thinned oil paints on canvas, a traditional fine art medium. But she treats it in a very particular way. The canvas is primed, stretched taut, then stained with translucent washes of color. These overlapping layers create a sense of depth and luminosity, almost as though light is radiating from within the painting itself. The artist's hand is evident in the fluid, organic shapes that seem to float and intermingle. This direct, gestural application of paint connects ‘The Light in the Depths’ to Abstract Expressionism. Yet Baber's approach, with its emphasis on light and color, sets her apart, reflecting a focus more on the optical experience than the heroic ego of the artist. In this work, Baber has coaxed qualities of light and color from her chosen material, demonstrating that painting can be as much about process and experience as it is about representation. This challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and the more embodied realms of craft.