Winter [trial proof on graphite paper] 1986

Jasper Johns created this trial proof titled ‘Winter’ on graphite paper. Johns was working in a post-war America that was grappling with its identity on the world stage. He has always been fascinated by systems of signs and Winter is a dense layering of images that seem to both reveal and conceal. The image creates meaning through a number of visual codes, including cross hatching, stenciled shapes and fragmented objects. The etching was made during the 1980’s when a number of artists were interested in appropriating images from popular culture. Johns references his own earlier works, subtly critiquing the institutions of art and the commercial art market. He may also be reflecting on the AIDS crisis and its effects on the artistic community. To understand Johns better, research his connections to Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art, and explore the cultural context of the 1980s art world. We can then begin to see how Winter speaks to a particular moment in American history, and to the enduring power of art as cultural commentary.