Untitled 1962

This untitled drawing was created by John Paul Jones, and presents a face obscured by dense marks. The face—a recurring symbol throughout art history—is a window into the soul, yet here, it is veiled, almost lost within a storm of lines. We are reminded of the classical motif of the mask, which conceals and reveals simultaneously. Think of the ancient Greek theatre, where masks amplified emotions but hid the individual. This duality taps into the subconscious, provoking a sense of mystery and perhaps even unease. The marks themselves, scribbled and chaotic, could be interpreted as a modern take on the memento mori, reflecting on the ephemeral nature of existence. We see the face dissolving, caught in the flux of time, reflecting how these potent symbols from the past are continually reinterpreted.