Between the Clock and the Bed (trial proof [hannemuhle] 1/2) 1989

This is Jasper Johns’s "Between the Clock and the Bed," a trial proof, and in it you can see he's working through something, maybe even wrestling with it. There’s this back and forth, a real push and pull, as Johns explores the possibilities of color and form. I love how the colors are laid down in these parallel strokes, like bars, creating this textured surface. It's not just about the colors themselves, but how they interact, how they vibrate against each other. Look at the interplay between the purples, oranges, and greens, and how they create a sense of depth and movement. It's like the painting is breathing. That hatched area in the upper right is so interesting. It's like a little puzzle, a moment of pause amidst all the activity. It makes me think of the way Agnes Martin would use grids to create a sense of calm and order. But here, Johns is doing something different, layering it with a sense of unease, of something lurking beneath the surface. Art isn’t about answers but about the ongoing conversation between artists across time. It's all up for grabs, and that's what makes it so exciting.