Green Angel 2 [1st element (plate A) 3rd state] 1997

Editor: Here we have Jasper Johns' "Green Angel 2 [1st element (plate A) 3rd state]," made in 1997 using mixed media including linocut and etching. I'm struck by the contrast; how rough, geometric shapes almost fight for space on the paper. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The compositional strategy hinges on layered forms, disrupting any illusion of depth. Note how Johns deploys hatching and cross-hatching not for modeling volume, but as independent marks creating texture. What semiotic weight might we assign to the limited grayscale palette? Editor: That's an interesting question, the absence of color really highlights the surface quality and the abstract nature of the shapes. How would you characterize the interaction between these various geometric forms? Curator: Precisely. Observe how certain forms interlock, almost as if they’ve been forcibly conjoined. This imbues the piece with a certain tension, a visual dissonance arising from the precarious arrangement. The composition is also organized according to a structuralist perspective and play on binary opposition like geometric v organic, dark v light, ordered v chaotic. Editor: So it's the *relationships* between the components that create the core meaning rather than individual representation? Curator: Precisely. To interpret Johns' work formalistically requires moving beyond conventional symbolism. It's the intrinsic construction, the deployment of artistic tools that becomes paramount. What have you gained from analyzing the form? Editor: I realize I was too focused on interpreting nonexistent symbolism rather than looking at the visual push and pull! Thanks for helping me focus on Johns’ specific techniques to unlock his art. Curator: My pleasure. There is always much to learn when we analyze forms, textures, and composition within the artistic language of each artwork.