Cicada [trial proof gray paper] 1979

Editor: This is Jasper Johns's "Cicada [trial proof gray paper]," made in 1979 using printmaking techniques combined with acrylic paint and graphite. It's definitely a vibrant piece, bursting with colour. All those stripes, packed together… it almost feels like visual white noise. How do you interpret this work, especially considering its historical context? Curator: Interesting observation. The "noise" you perceive might be intentional. Johns emerged in a period dominated by Abstract Expressionism. Think about its emphasis on the artist's inner world. Now consider Johns's use of common, almost banal imagery, and here we see these densely packed stripes, seemingly without any hierarchy. This challenges the notion of art as self-expression, becoming instead a kind of readymade image. Editor: So, it's less about Johns pouring his soul onto the canvas, and more about critiquing what art *should* be? Curator: Precisely. Consider also the role of printmaking itself. Reproduction inherently democratizes imagery. By utilizing printmaking in conjunction with painting, is Johns commenting on art's accessibility or perhaps even its commodification within the art market? Does making art accessible change its aura? Editor: That makes me think about how museums present art and give it value just by including it in their collection. It's definitely more complicated than just an appealing pattern. Curator: Exactly! Thinking about the museum and gallery as arbiters of taste is vital. Editor: I'll definitely look at Johns differently now, considering his challenge to art world conventions. Curator: Indeed, art is rarely created or appreciated in a vacuum, even when its beauty makes you stop and look. Thank you, this was very insightful.