Susan Kiefer: Where Do We Go From Here?

Kiefer’s forms create either opaquely narrative spaces through which one may have the opportunity for an experience that’s neither overtly evident nor sensually suggested; or they receive her forms as value representations that are simultaneously symbolic and relatable, and universal enough to translate into other visual mediums. Not every painted image has a story to tell, but it does contain a variety of visual elements that combine to present a formal event of infinite value. In works such as “On A Clear Day” and “The Meaning of It All,” the title acts like a question or a challenge. That is part and parcel of an idealistically distinct work—the raising of an ideological bar within the direct aesthetic moment. Simple words compel us to consider the elemental allegories available to us. It’s a vision worth an extended view.