At first glance, the bold, geometric paintings of John Baker appear
to be exquisite studies in design, pattern and color. From his "Telepathic
Observation" series to "Catch Phase", Baker juxtaposes
line, shape and shaded blocks of color to form a rich tapestry in which
the play of the viewer's eye can weave and re-weave over time.
Baker, a draftsman by training, relies on the use of architectural
elements, such as the circle, triangle and rectangle, found on a draftsman's
blueprint, to create exquisite puzzle-like patterns of bisecting lines
and shapes.
But there is more to his paintings than just an artist's experimentation
with 2-D design and the way a viewer sees a painting. Baker deliberately
reaches back into the modern history of painting to lend an additional
dimension to his work. He consciously utilizes rich earth tones and
simple, geometric shapes to recall the Cubists and Russian Constructivists
of an earlier era. Paintings such as the "Catch Phase" series,
evoke in a very abstract fashion, the strange urban landscapes of di
Chirico; the rich, earth tone palette and simple architectural shapes
suggesting perhaps an imaginary, desert roadside Spanish town. Still,
the end result is very contemporary and approximates something just
out of our grasp. Is the "Telepathic Observation" series about
our disconnected feeling while traveling long hours on a desert highway?
Could "Catch Phase" be a comment about fractured, urban life?
Baker's evocative paintings provoke these unsettling questions while
seducing the viewer's eye with his beautiful concoctions.
For years, Slaymaker Fine Art Ltd. has been introducing John Baker's
work to private and corporate collectors the world over.
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