Green Angel 2 [1st element (plate B) 1st state] 1997

This is a print called Green Angel 2 by Jasper Johns, and like much of his work, it plays with layering and repetition. Here, Johns gives us a kind of ghostly image using lithography. You can really sense the hand of the artist in the different marks and textures that build up the composition. What strikes me most is how the grey ink creates a sense of depth and atmosphere. Look at the way Johns uses hatching and cross-hatching to build up the tones, like he's almost sculpting with the ink. In the lower right, there's a looping squiggle, maybe a doodle, adding a playful touch to the overall somber mood. It's a reminder that art doesn't always have to be so serious. Johns' work reminds me a little bit of Rauschenberg's, especially in the way he combines different elements and techniques. And just like Rauschenberg, Johns invites us to slow down and really look at the world around us in new ways.