The large gray spiked form rising from the bottom of the picture is to me the symbol of death and ruin. And finally the black ovoid form is the symbol of fire, lava and destruction.

Notes from Wikiquote

Baziotes' quote is referring to his painting 'Pompeii', Baziotes painted in 1955

Abstract Expressionist Painting in America (1983)

Abstract Expressionist Painting in America (1983)

Abstract Expressionist Painting in America (1983)

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: William Baziotes (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.