Untitled 2000

This is an 'Untitled' print by Jasper Johns. I love that Johns gives us this iconic visual puzzle, playing with positive and negative space like he's conducting a visual experiment. It’s not just about seeing; it's about how our minds jump between possibilities, how we construct images in our heads. Look at how Johns uses this stark contrast between the black background and the white silhouette to create a visual push and pull. Then there’s that gridded face in blue, adding another layer of complexity. It's a bit like a screen, a filter through which we view the form. This grid introduces a sense of depth, making you question what's being revealed and what's being concealed. Johns, like Duchamp, is always nudging us to question what art is, how we see it, and what it means. He invites us to play with perception, to embrace the ambiguity, and to find joy in the act of looking itself.