Jasper Johns (born May 15, 1930) is an American artist of the 20th-21st centuries, an original representative of abstract expressionism and neo-Dadaism, an outstanding sculptor and engraver. When creating paintings, Jasper Johns often mixes several different techniques, combining encaustic with oil painting and newspaper collage, harmoniously introducing sculptural structures made of metal, wood and plaster into his works. Jasper Johns’ work is considered modern pop art, moreover, the artist is considered one of the predecessors of this style, who had a significant influence on the development of modern art. Read the biography of one of the most popular and highly paid artists in America.

Biography of Jasper Johns

Jasper Johns in rare interviews sparingly talks about the details of his personal life. It is known that he was born on May 30, 1930, in Augusta, Georgia, and spent almost all of his childhood in South Carolina, periodically living with his mother and father’s parents. After graduating from high school in Edmunds, the young man entered the local university in the Faculty of Arts, studied there for three semesters and, listening to the advice of teachers who saw talent in the young man, left in 1949 to conquer New York.

Jasper Johns completely immersed himself in the world of art – he visited all sorts of exhibitions, studied at the Parsons School of Design, studied painting. In 1950, he was mobilized and spent the next two years in service – first at a military base in the same Carolina, and then in the Japanese city of Sendai. Upon returning to civilian life, Jasper Johns settled in New York, where he met Robert Rauschenberg. They began to live together and did not hide their close relationship. The lover introduced Jasper to the advanced ideas of modern art and introduced him to Merce Cunningham, John Milton Cage Jr., Leo Castelli, and Alfred H. Barr.

Influenced by progressive ideas about modern art, Jasper Johns came up with the idea of ​​creating an interesting and at the same time very provocative work – in 1955, “Flag” appeared. The public opinion about the painting was divided – some considered it “a manifestation of American imperialism”, others regarded it as disrespect for one of the symbols of America, but the painting definitely attracted the attention of the public. It is made on three canvases attached to a plywood board, using three different techniques – encaustic, oil painting and newspaper collage. A successful combination of materials allowed the master to sound original and loud.

Jasper Johns later played with the flag theme more than once – the artist’s arsenal includes the “White Flag”, which was bought by the New York Metropolitan Museum. The amount of the deal is not advertised, but according to some estimates it was about 20 million dollars, which is quite impressive for 1998.

The unexpected success of the painting brought Jasper Johns popularity, which his relationship with Rauschenberg could not withstand. The lovers broke up in 1961, after which Johns began to refuse invitations to public events and interviews, communicating only with close friends. And he devoted himself entirely to art – painting, sculpture and printing.

Jasper Johns’ sculptures are usually made of bronze. With rare exceptions, these are ordinary household items – light bulbs, flashlights, beer cans. In his engravings, the artist often uses the theme of numbers, letters and symbols, filling the signs with philosophical meaning – despite their initial simplicity and unambiguity, when combined into a composition, they carry a specific idea and influence the life of an individual or a group of people. In recent years, the artist has lived in seclusion between the small town of Sharon and the island of Saint Martin, where his studios are located.