Face with Watch [2nd state 1/2] 1996

This is Jasper Johns' "Face with Watch", a print created using lithography, a process where an image is drawn on a stone or metal plate and then printed. What's fascinating here is how Johns uses this process to explore themes of time, representation, and the everyday. The stark contrast between the black background and the white imagery, achieved through the lithographic process, makes each element stand out. The watch, a common object, is rendered with the same attention as the more abstract "face," challenging our perception of value and importance. Lithography, with its roots in mass production, democratized image-making. Johns elevates this process, transforming what was once a commercial technique into a fine art medium. Through his blurring of boundaries between art and the everyday, Johns prompts us to reconsider the artistic potential of commonplace materials and processes, and the cultural significance we assign to them.