Buttocks/Knees/FootHandSockFloor/Face/Torso (little plates) [trial proof 1/4 with watercolor and pencil additions] 1976

Jasper Johns made this trial proof with watercolor and pencil additions. Look at the list of words – buttocks, knees, feet, face, torso. It's like a fragmented inventory of the body. I imagine Johns in his studio, shuffling between image-making and language, searching for new ways of seeing. I love how Johns embraces the process of art-making. The pencil lines are so tentative and unsure, like he's mapping out a territory, not quite knowing where he's going. The watercolor is washy and pale, almost like a ghost of an image. Each gesture is so careful and considered, a way of thinking through making. Johns’ process echoes the spirit of artists like Rauschenberg, who also combined disparate elements to challenge the viewer's perception. He inspires me to explore ambiguity and uncertainty in my own work. It’s a reminder that art doesn't always have to provide answers, but can be a space for endless questions and possibilities.