Armageddon 2020

Jo Baer’s painting, "Armageddon," presents us with a world of myth and transformation, painted with thin layers of colour, flat planes and a surreal composition. I imagine Jo in her studio, wrestling with the canvas, trying to bring to life this strange vision. The figures are so peculiar, right? These hybrid creatures, part human, part animal, set against a backdrop that feels both ancient and futuristic. It reminds me of those late-night conversations you have with your friends, where you're riffing on ideas, mixing high and low culture, and somehow it all makes sense in the moment. The palette is muted yet striking, with earthy tones juxtaposed against unexpected blues and reds. The layers of paint are so thin they're almost translucent, giving the piece a ghostly, ethereal quality. It’s like she’s inviting us to contemplate the end of days, to question what it means to be human, and to embrace the weirdness of it all. I see connections to other visionary painters like Hilma af Klint, who explored spiritual themes in her abstract works. These artists create their own symbolic languages, inviting us to participate in their unique visions. Ultimately, it’s about embracing ambiguity and uncertainty, and recognizing that meaning is always in flux, always open to interpretation.