Jasper John Flag

Flag is a painting that was created by artist Jasper Johns in 1955. The painting is true to its original inspiration: the American Flag. Jasper John’s had mentioned that painting things the mind already knows, such as the flag or targets, takes care of things for him so that he can work on his art on other levels. Flag is quite an interesting work of art, because it is a painting of an object that is seen numerous times during any given day in the United States. Due to its subject being seen on a daily basis, it is easy to overlook this painting as a work of art if you are not taking the time to evaluate it. Flag was formed using three canvases attached to plywood, and painted using encaustic, oil paint, and newsprint. The painting features

Inspired by a dream in which he had seen himself painting a huge American Flag, he then decided to do just that. An Army veteran who served in the Korean War, a common view of the painting is that of the utmost patriotism. John’s has stated he doesn’t have a specific meaning in his work, he would rather the viewers create their own interpretation. Considering the military background of its artist, one could very well argue that Flag could be representative of the strength of our country, particularly during a time of war. John’s was said to be named after a military hero, Sergeant William Jasper, who raised a flag in the revolutionary war. Flag could be a symbol of John’s himself, given the history of his name. Opposite to the previously mentioned views, Alfred Barr (Museum of Modern Art) had wanted to purchase Flag, but feared it could be seen as unpatriotic. As such, he had another person purchase the painting and donate it to the museum later. Flag in itself is a statement, as John’s stayed true to the American Flag. One could very easily take a subject and recreate it into something of their own to make a bold and obvious statement. John’s managed to take a commonplace subject and create something else with it while still keeping it true to its

In the 1950’s, Flags were nothing more than Flags, as most of the objects John’s chose to use as his subjects were merely objects. It was unthinkable that a flag could become art. John’s very much enjoyed creating work out of objects that are seen every day by people, but are often never truly looked at. The American Flag being one of the objects he has used as subject matter multiple times. Americans will be able to see an American Flag and describe it to you: the stars, stripes, colors. Many will have strong emotions towards the flag, as it is a symbol of the country and everything it stands for. American Flags are even more meaningful to those who have served in the military, as it is often considered a symbol for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The United States is one of the most patriotic countries there is as American Flags can be found virtually everywhere: front lawns, outside businesses, often on clothing. Even with all of that though, the Flag still isn’t something someone would generally consider art. The Flag isn’t critiqued or analyzed to find the deeper meaning in it. The Flag is already exactly what it is. That is what makes John’s Flag a work of art. John’s took a mundane and overlooked object and turned it into something worth evaluating. He went against the standards of art for his time period, and created art out of