Fool’s House 1972

Editor: This is Jasper Johns' "Fool's House," currently residing at the Tate. The muted tones and ghostly outlines of everyday objects create such an unsettling, yet familiar atmosphere. What social commentary do you see at play here? Curator: It's about questioning the meaning we assign to everyday objects and the power dynamics inherent in that meaning-making. The broom, the towel—domestic tools traditionally associated with women’s labor. What happens when these items are presented as fragmented and labeled? Editor: It feels like a deconstruction, almost a reclaiming of the narrative. Curator: Precisely. By isolating these objects and labeling them, Johns forces us to consider their inherent value, or lack thereof, within a capitalist structure and patriarchal society. He is inviting us to think critically about the value we place on labour. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't fully considered. I'll definitely be looking at Johns' work through a different lens now.