Back when I was a young thing at art college, one of my tutors told me that my work was similar to that of Jasper Johns. Now, I’m ashamed to admit, at that time, I didn’t know who Johns was (I know, shocking, shocking). However, who knows what planet my tutor was on, because my work couldn’t have been more dissimilar and, I might add, I have never painted a flag in my life. But that’s not to say my tutor didn't do me a favour (for once). She steered me in the right direction. She introduced me to his talents and I became a big old fan. Johns is quiet the icon (he’s even appeared in The Simpsons) and his work, well, it's just superb. It’s just too cool, too gritty, so typical of our times. While his name evokes images of stars and stripes, his pieces transcribes across all sorts of boundaries, be they cultural or historic.
So, let’s cut to the chase. Here’s the Jasper Johns news; Washington’s National Gallery of Art will be adding around 1,700 proofs of his work to their esteemed vaults and walls. These pieces include lithographs, etchings, relief and screen prints. They artworks are worth millions and where they were hiding pre-National days, I haven’t a clue. All I know is I would mind a gander. I imagine the Gallery, at some stage in 2008, will be putting on quiet a Johns show, and who can blame them.
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