[title not known] 1967 - 1969

Editor: Here we have an untitled print by Jasper Johns showing two Ballantine Ale cans. It looks like an etching, very gray and textural. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: Well, immediately, I'm drawn to how Johns elevates the mundane. Consider the cultural context: Pop Art was challenging established art institutions by embracing everyday objects. Why cans of beer? Editor: A challenge to the institutions? Curator: Exactly. Johns uses recognizable, mass-produced items to question what is worthy of artistic representation, and how those representations reflect our values. The public role of art is shifting. Editor: That's a whole new way to see beer cans! Curator: Indeed, this print becomes a commentary on consumerism and the politics of imagery. Interesting shift in perspective, isn't it?