Green Angel 2 Experimental Lithos [trial proof] 1994

Editor: This is Jasper Johns' "Green Angel 2 Experimental Lithos [trial proof]", made in 1994. It seems to use a lot of mixed media, including lithograph, to create these interesting geometric and abstract shapes. The stark contrast and muted colors give it a somewhat somber, contemplative feel. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Interesting. My eye immediately jumps to the recurring motif of the 'angel' figure, or rather, the abstraction of one. Notice how Johns presents it—fragmented, almost ghostly, but undeniably present. How does the idea of a green angel resonate with you, especially in the context of cultural memory and continuity? Editor: I hadn't immediately seen the 'angel', more just abstract shapes. Green often means life or renewal to me, so a 'Green Angel' feels…contradictory, like something ancient trying to be reborn. Curator: Exactly! The "green" could symbolize envy, growth, decay, or even the vibrancy of nature reclaiming something old. And then the abstraction! It is through these artistic filters that memory transforms into something new. Editor: The term "trial proof" also interests me, as it signifies the image is still in the process of being made, tested. Like, what image are we trying to construct and test in our culture or society today? Curator: A wonderful connection! It raises profound questions about the ever-evolving nature of symbols. It's fascinating to consider Johns deliberately presenting this image as something unresolved, even transient. Are we ever really 'finished' understanding our symbols and how they shape us? Editor: No, I think you're right. I find it more powerful seeing the forms as shifting. Thanks for opening my eyes to the symbolic dimension in Johns' process. Curator: And thank you for noticing the artist’s intentional unfinished process. Now I’m left considering all that remains in a state of metamorphosis, and how meaning takes on a life of its own.