Flag

This painting presents the American flag in a surprisingly tactile and layered way, moving beyond a simple symbol to become an object in itself. Jasper Johns created this work in 1958, a few years after he began his iconic series of flags, maps, and targets. Here, the familiar stars and stripes are rendered with oil paint on paper, giving the surface a distinct texture. Johns's approach challenged the prevailing Abstract Expressionist style of the time, which emphasized personal emotion. Instead, he chose a universally recognized image, prompting viewers to consider the boundary between an object and its representation. This work invites close looking, encouraging us to see the flag not just as a national emblem, but as a carefully constructed artistic surface.