Jasper Johns Comes Back to New York

Paintings by Jasper Johns, from left: Periscope (Hart Crane), 1963; Flag, 1958; Winter, 1986 (all photographs by Jamie M. Stukenberg / Professional Graphics Inc.

Jasper Johns, a South Carolina native currently residing in Connecticut, first came to New York City in 1949 when he (briefly) attended Parsons School of Design. In 1954 he painted his first flag picture, and by 1958 he had his first one-man exhibition at the Leo Castelli Gallery. Today, The Met's director Philippe de Montebello states fact as the artist's new exhibit at the museum opens, saying "Without question, Jasper Johns is one of the greatest artists of our era."

The show, Jasper Johns: Gray, opened on February 5th and runs through May 4th. It's comprised of 119 of the artist's works, including paintings, reliefs, drawings, prints, and sculptures; covering much of Johns career, you'll see works from 1959 to 2007. While the artist is best known for his work with bright colors, some say this exhibit is showing his true shade. The NY Times took a look at it and concluded that "it amplifies gray into a color spectrum all its own. And it illuminates 50 years of a life saved by, and lived for, the incessant pursuit of art."

Meanwhile, The NY Sun's art critic, Lance Esplund, wasn't a fan of the exhibit, though he did recall a quote from famous playwright Samuel Beckett, who praised his friend Johns by saying, "No matter which way you turn you always come up against a stone wall. Hail to the master of the stone wall."