Jasper Johns' Flag: Beyond Realism and Abstraction

Year 2020, Issue: 24, 1 - 11, 24.07.2020

Başak Keki

https://doi.org/10.17484/yedi.680024

Abstract

Jasper Johns is one of the most provocative American artists of the twentieth century who has shaped the perception of art and has influenced generations of artists. This paper examines one of his most important works, Flag (1955), regarding it as a work defying easy categorizations as either a realist or an abstract work. Without being identified as either kind, it nevertheless displays certain traits of both. As for its suggestion of realism, the work comes up as a response to its political, cultural and artistic context, challenging Cold War aesthetics; albeit in a mocking manner. Its ridicule is evident in its allusion to the concept of ideology via its ‘kitschy’ subject matter whilst its delicately painted surface exhibits brushstrokes reminiscent of abstract expressionism. Yet the work also confronts presumptions of abstract expressionists by drawing attention to their implicit conventionalism despite their claims for authenticity and uniqueness. It will be argued that by calling the notion of identity in question, the work suspends and surpasses neat categories and sparks even further controversy by hinting at postmodern art and evoking ready-mades simultaneously.

Keywords

Jasper Johns, Flag (1955), Cold War aesthetics, ideology, abstract expressionism, realism, ready-made

Jasper Johns'un Flag'i / Bayrak'ı: Realizm ve Soyutun Ötesinde

Abstract

Jasper Johns, yerleşik sanat algısını değiştirip şekillendirerek kendisinden sonra gelen birkaç kuşak sanatçıyı etkileyen yirminci yüzyılın en kışkırtıcı Amerikalı sanatçılardan biridir. Bu çalışma O’nun en önemli işlerinden biri olan Flag (1955) / Bayrak (1955)’ı gerçekçi ya da soyut gibi kaba kategorilerin ötesinde bir eser olarak inceler. Tamamen özdeşleşmemekle birlikte, eser her iki ekolden de özellikler taşır. Döneme hükmeden Soğuk Savaş estetiğine meydan okuyarak, eserin içinde bulunduğu dönemin siyasi, kültürel ve sanatsal bağlamına bir tepki olarak ortaya çıkması göz önünde bulundurulunca, eserin alaycı bir şekilde bile olsa gerçekçi bir iddiası olduğu düşünülebilir. Bu alaycı tavır özellikle soyut dışavurumculuğu çağrıştıran fırça darbeleriyle özenli bir biçimde boyanmış yüzeyinin aslında konu olarak bayrak gibi ideoloji kavramının en ‘kiç’ ifadesini kullanmasında kendisini gösterir. Ancak eser bir taraftan da tüm özgünlük ve biriciklik iddialarına karşın soyut dışavurumcuların da gelenekçi ön kabullerini ifşa eder. Bu çalışmada, öncelikle eserin kimlik temasını sorgulayarak kolaycı kategorileri askıya alıp bunları adeta geçersiz kıldığı, sonrasında ise eserin aynı anda hem postmodern sanatı hem de hazır-yapım çalışmaları anımsattığı savunulacaktır.

Keywords

Jasper Johns, Flag (1955) / Bayrak (1955), Soğuk Savaş estetiği, ideoloji, soyut dışavurumculuk, gerçekçilik, hazır-yapım

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