Jasper John

Jasper Johns

1930 - Present

Pop Art is a 20th century art movement that highlights the imagery and popular culture. Pop art developed in the late1950's as a reaction against Abstract Expressionism and flourished in the sixties and early seventies. Pop Art favored the everyday objects, such as burgers, comic strips and advertisements.

Personal: Jasper Johns, raised in Allendale, South Carolina, has always wanted to be an artist since his earliest memories. He is known today as an aspirating painter, sculptor and printmaker. Jasper Johns became one of America's best-known post-Abstract Expressionists and Minimalists. His name is most associated with pictorial images of American Flags.

Early Life: Jasper Johns was born in 1930, in Augusta, Georgia. Although born in Georgia, he was raised in Allendale, South Carolina. As a young boy, Jasper has had an admiration for art. Jasper's hometown had no artists or art, as he recalls. He felt in an awkward situation, but loved art too much to let his dream go.

John Hay Residence

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Jasper Johns, Map, 1961. Museum of Modern Art New ...

Jasper's education in art was limited while attending his hometown schools. He later was accepted to the University of South Carolina, where he attended two years. In 1949, he moved to New York City but was drafted into the army. Upon returning to New York City, he began to experiment painting American Flags. He completed his first flag picture in 1954, and soon had his first one-man exhibition, at the Leo Castelli Gallery in New York City.

Major Contributions to Society: Although widely known for his work with the American Flag, Jasper Johns also in known for his alphabet subjects, sculptures, and lithographs. At that first exhibition, in 1958, the Museum of Modern Art purchased three pieces, making it clear that at Johns was to become a major force in the art world. Thirty years...