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Jasper Johns - Flags I (1973)

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description Jasper Johns - Flags I (1973) Overview

Jasper Johns created 'Flags I' in 1973 as a screenprint revisiting his iconic American flag motif, which he first painted in 1954-55. This work demonstrates Johns's technical innovation in screenprinting, using 15 colors and appearing to be a single flag but actually depicting two flags superimposed on each other. Johns's flag works challenge the distinction between representation and object, as the flag image exists simultaneously as both a symbol and a physical object. The artist has repeatedly returned to the flag motif throughout his career, exploring how context and medium affect our perception of familiar symbols.

help Jasper Johns - Flags I (1973) FAQ

How many colors were used in Jasper Johns' Flags I?

Jasper Johns used 15 different colors to create the complex screenprint 'Flags I' in 1973. The intricate layering of these colors creates the optical illusion of a gray flag resting on top of an orange, green, and black flag.

Is Flags I one screenprint or two?

While it may appear to be a single flag at first glance, 'Flags I' actually depicts two flags superimposed on one another. This visual duality plays with the viewer's perception of color and negative space.

Why did Jasper Johns paint the American flag?

Johns painted his first American flag in 1954 because it was a common, flat object that allowed him to bypass the emotional weight of creating an original design. He famously described the flag as 'something the mind already knows,' which let him focus entirely on the painting process.

Who published Jasper Johns' Flags I screenprint?

The screenprint was published in 1973 by Simca Print Artists, Inc. in New York. It remains one of the most celebrated examples of Johns' technical innovation in printmaking.

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