Untitled 2000

Editor: Here we have an untitled mixed-media print by Jasper Johns, created in 2000. It’s got this rough, almost unfinished feel with the visible "working proof" inscription and scribbled lines. The two silhouetted figures feel a little ambiguous… almost like a Rorschach test. What do you make of it? Curator: Well, considering Johns’ engagement with the everyday object, the print gains meaning. Johns, who helped challenge traditional notions of what art could be, continued to dismantle conventional structures in this print. By exposing his process so bare—we see his notes, his sketches, the unfinished state. He questions the art object itself, challenging its presumed authority. Don't you find this direct access to artistic development rather powerful, rather unconventional? Editor: Absolutely. It’s like he's deliberately showing us the backstage, the messy reality of artmaking, rather than presenting some polished facade. So how does the historical context play in this artwork? Curator: Think about Pop Art's rebellious spirit against established art hierarchies, Johns took this idea further. Look at his repetition and use of common motifs like the numerals, alphabets. This suggests mass culture and questions uniqueness within artistic practice. By including ‘working proof’, Johns takes these pop ideologies and incorporates them into his final production. Are you not wondering about Johns intentions behind using an unconventional methodology? Editor: Yes! He’s really making us rethink the value we place on a finished piece. It also emphasizes the democratic quality to his artistic process, because it invites participation from his viewers. What does his experimentation suggest about art institution during that time period? Curator: The late 20th century witnessed growing institutional critique, museums, galleries became scrutinised, raising questions of cultural authority. So, this 'Untitled' print stands as a statement against those very institutions. In a way, it is a radical deconstruction of everything ‘art’ stood for. Editor: This has been a fascinating perspective. Now I appreciate that "unfinished" quality so much more. Curator: I'm glad this changed your perspective! Hopefully now you and many others will see this working proof with fresh eyes, appreciating art is not about appreciating ‘the outcome,’ but admiring the intention behind ‘the journey’.