"Jasper Johns seemed to reject the tortured, in-the-moment 'I' of Abstract Expressionism, ironically commenting on the heroism and spontaneity associated with Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning in his early work."
"He took 'things the mind already knows,' things 'that are seen but not looked at, not examined,' and did something and then something else to them, until the transformation was complete."
"The first thing Johns chose to transform - it is more correct to say that it chose him - was the American flag, which he saw himself painting in a dream."
Jasper Johns redefined American art by transforming familiar symbols such as the American flag, targets, and numerals into innovative artworks. His use of encaustic, a quick-hardening wax medium, allowed him to create pieces that appeared deliberate rather than spontaneous. Johns's approach contrasts with the Abstract Expressionist focus on the tortured 'I' and instead emphasizes a thoughtful exploration of subjects often overlooked in American art. His latest exhibition, 'Between the Clock and the Bed,' showcases this evolution in his artistic vocabulary.
Read at Hyperallergic
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