Jasper Johns, Flag

A conversation between Salman Khan and Steven Zucker about Jasper Johns, Flag, 1954-55 (dated on reverse 1954), encaustic, oil, and collage on fabric mounted on plywood, three panels, 42-1/4 x 60-5/8 inches /107.3 x 153.8 cm (The Museum of Modern Art)
"One night I dreamed I painted a large American flag, and the next morning I got up and I went out and bought the materials to begin it. And I did. I worked on that painting a long time. It's a very rotten painting-physically rotten-because I began it in house enamel paint, which you paint furniture with, and it wouldn't dry quickly enough. Then I had in my head this idea of something I had read or heard about: wax encaustic. " --Jasper Johns
. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.

[@StephenS-2024]

Nice. Love Johns' work. The idea of the seemingly banal being scrutinized and reexamined. People tend to look for the simplest explanation first and often miss the forest for trees.

[@MsAmour2009]

Brilliant idea! Great work.

[@MegaSketchbook]

"The narrative of America", was the perfect line to encompass the meaning behind this piece.

[@KunstplazaDe]

nice litte representation, very much to the point. Thanks for sharing!

[@KinkyPinkFemboiAlex]

As a Brit, I see it as reality vs. idealism, What Americans think their idealism is, and what it really is, not a pure image as a traditional flag, but a dirty, imperfect version of it. Of course that could work with any flag from a country with political idealism.

[@myla6135]

Saw one of his Flags in London in 2017. Felt quite neutral but was interested in what Johns was trying to do. Your analysis was fascinating, thank you. But now in March 2023 I have slightly negative feelings towards national symbols including flags. But it's a great work by Johns. Still admire him and it as a work.

[@mmbmbmbmb]

... it is a great representation of a flag indeed ... thanks :o)

[@dahawk8574]

Jihad, Khan Academy style - 3:18 "Depth to America!"

[@danielespinoza91]

Ha! That's where my mind went too.

[@tommay631]

48 stars

[@bobbyjones5754]

That's how many states there were in 1954.

[@tommay631]

Bobby Jones - Who said there weren’t?

[@KhanAcademyLabs]

love the comment about the mirror

[@Rse-pj3ew]

its just a flag

[@oltedders]

@@Rse-pj3ew It was the start of an entire movement in modern art.

[@lmarmar5005]

Not canvas…actually painted on a bedsheet

[@VictorRochaGaming]

Yes, it's definitely a mirror.

[@peterstrianus1790]

I see an anti-war manifesto in this flag.

[@theblackapostate]

I'm sorry, but I have to ask... does anyone else see this as merely using a non-copyrighted image as a means of making money? The fact that he commercialized the flag would almost be an artistic commentary on rampant capitalism, were it not for the fact that Johns benefitted greatly from doing so. The use of encaustic seems like a way to get a quick-drying, versatile medium that doesn't fade with time, not really about the texture at all. Am I just being cynical here?

[@smarthistory-art-history]

I would say a bit cynical (but perhaps the artist was as well). I do think the focus on the current monetary value of the work is misplaced since when Flag was begun, in 1954, there was no market for this work. It is difficult to conceive of a time when the art market in New York was tiny, but it was. When Johns started this painting he had just returned from the Korean War. Before that he had been a student. He didn't even have a gallery. I don't think it makes sense to hold his later success against this early work.

[@oltedders]

Cynical. It's the begining of a new movent in modern art. The first PopArt.