By the mid-1970s, Baer made a bold, defining shift in her artistic practice, moving away from Minimalism to explore deeper, more layered forms of expression. In 1975, she relocated to County Louth, Ireland, where she spent seven years living in a Norman castle. Drawing inspiration from the local landscape and ancient mythologies, this marked the beginning of her exploration into „radical figuration“—a style she developed alongside a growing interest in the intersection of time, history, and the natural world. Baer’s 1983 essay, “I Am No Longer an Abstract Artist,” formally signaled her departure from abstraction and embrace of figurative imagery.

In 2013, Baer’s series “In the Land of the Giants” was showcased at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, a city she called home for over four decades. This exhibition was a pivotal celebration of her figurative work by a European institution. The series was later shown at Galerie Barbara Thumm (2013) and the Whitney Biennial (2017). Notably, the Whitney Museum acquired one of the works for its collection, marking a significant moment in Baer’s return to the U.S. art scene as a figurative artist.

Throughout her career, Baer held numerous solo exhibitions at renowned institutions, including Galerie Barbara Thumm (2025, 2013), the Camden Arts Centre (2015), the Stedelijk Museum (2013, 1999), Museum Ludwig (2013), Van Abbemuseum (2009, 1986, 1978), Dia Center for the Arts (2002), and the Whitney Museum of American Art (1975). Her work has also been featured in group exhibitions and biennials, including the Whitney Biennial (2017), the 31st Bienal de São Paulo (2014), Busan Biennale (2012), and MoMA (2017, 2016, 2008). Her art is held in prestigious collections worldwide, such as the Museum of Modern Art, Tate Gallery, and the Museum für Moderne Kunst, among others.