Untitled 2001

Jasper Johns made this untitled print using etching, aquatint, and drypoint. I love the way he’s laid out these discrete areas, kind of like a mood board but rendered in delicate, nuanced browns. Johns allows the process to be visible, the aquatint gives it this slightly mottled and worn feeling. The material aspects of this print are striking. The subtle variations in tone create a sense of depth, even though the color is muted. See how the etched lines seem to float on the surface, while the aquatint creates a soft, almost hazy ground. Look at that swirling vortex shape, it sucks you in! There is such a sense of energy, that mark seems to destabilize the otherwise stable composition. Johns's work often plays with the idea of representation and abstraction, and you see that tension here too. It reminds me of Rauschenberg, especially his use of collage and found imagery, there's a similar interest in deconstructing the image. Ultimately, this print embraces ambiguity, inviting us to find our own meanings within its delicate layers.