America, America!

With all the fury and fervor surrounding the Presidential election, particularly Tuesday’s momentous win for Barack Obama, I cannot help but have politics on the brain. The notion of patriotic art, however, is one I try to refrain from. Trust me, I love nothing more than artwork that conveys a political message of sorts (my passion for art began with Britain’s YBA who are infamous for their outlandish and provocative art). But artwork that displays a spirited passion for America?  That’s something I could pass on.

Or so I thought. I then remember Jasper Johns and his incredible flag paintings – combinations of oil paints, encaustic, collage and fabric. The works are stunning – in initial viewing they appear as mere depictions of the American flag, but further musing reveals the mastery and technique of Johns. The work below, titled Flag, is on view at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. The painting was created in 1955 and is 42 by 60 inches, approximately. Beneath the paint are glimmers of the newspaper that Johns used as part of his artistic process – newspaper that forever acts as a time capsule – an unadulterated portal into the past.

While the flag itself is beautiful, I am most enchanted by the technique of Johns – the duality and complexity inherent in the work and the value of the newspaper acting as a barometer of the time when the work was completed. The work may be visually appealing, but I think there’s nothing cooler than a work of art that reveals a slice of history – especially a slice so pristine as newspaper clippings.