The Seasons (Summer) [2nd state] 1987

This is "The Seasons (Summer)" [2nd state], a print made by Jasper Johns. The print is all about process: how the ink sits on the plate, how much pressure is applied, and the way the image emerges through layers of marks. I’m drawn to the figure on the left – its body a strange mosaic of brickwork. Is it a person or a wall? Is it solid, or fading away? I love how the marks aren't trying to hide their origins: you can see the build-up, the starts and stops, the way one shape nudges another. It is a real testament to how Johns wasn't interested in perfection, but rather the act of building something from the ground up, brick by brick. Johns here reminds me of Rauschenberg, another artist who wasn't afraid to get messy, to let the process show, making art a real conversation with the materials. It’s about embracing the questions, the uncertainties, and the endless possibilities of what art can be.