The works of US painter Jasper Johns
Jasper Johns turned the mighty US flag into simple paintings and elevated everyday objects into expensive works of art. As the influential artist turns 90, here's a look back at his groundbreaking approach.
A well-known motif
His 1954 "Flag" was his first successful painting, establishing Jasper Johns as a pioneer of pop art. The artist would repeatedly return to the star-spangled banner, not out of patriotism, but rather to raise artistic questions: Does a depiction of an object with a strong symbolic value take on the same significance as the item itself?
What is reality?
"Take an object. Do something with it. Do something else with it." Beyond the US flag, Jasper Johns also reproduced everyday objects as bronze sculptures: light bulbs, flashlights or, as shown here, a coffee can filled with paint brushes., "Painted Bronze" (1960).
On the mark
The bullseye is another one of Johns' favorite motifs. Unlike his previous representational works, his "Targets" — as this series of paintings is titled — are more abstract. Very often, they feature contrasting colors, catching the eye from a distance. Some "Target" paintings, however, are monochrome; the bullseye can only be recognized at close range.
Painting numbers
Johns also painted numbers — something no one had ever done before him. By depicting very simple things and combining representational and abstract forms in his works, the painter broke new ground and challenged established artistic conventions.
Modern art with old techniques
Even though he contributed to redefining modern art, Johns worked with an ancient technique: encaustic painting, which was developed in the early Antiquity. It involves adding heated wax to colored pigments; the quickly-drying wax creates relief in the painting.
An inspiring circle of friends
During his early years in New York in the 1950s, Jasper Johns met the right people, such as artist Robert Rauschenberg, performance artist Rachel Rosenthal, musician John Cage and dancer Merce Cunningham. The friends inspired each other, and Jasper Johns designed costumes, sets and posters for the Cunningham Company (picture), among others.
A success story
Jasper Johns was born on May 15, 1930 in Augusta, Georgia. He studied at the University of South Carolina and went on to a commercial art school in New York in 1949. He then served in the army. In the late 1950s, he was discovered by New York gallery owner Leo Castelli, who became a legendary art dealer by promoting Johns and other avant-garde artists.