Flag

So, you think you know the American flag? Jasper Johns’ "Flag" would like a word. It presents the familiar stars and stripes, but with a twist that makes you question if you're looking at a flag or a painting of a flag. It’s a bit of an artistic mind game. Is it a revered symbol, or is it just a pattern of stars and stripes? The artist isn't telling. The composition is deceptively simple. Look closer, and you'll see a riot of texture. That’s thanks to encaustic, a technique involving hot wax mixed with pigment. This gives the surface a lumpy, almost sculptural quality. Peeking through the layers of wax and paint are bits of newspaper, adding another layer of meaning to this supposedly straightforward image. It’s a flag, but it’s also a collage of everyday stuff, which was a pretty bold move in the mid-1950s when Abstract Expressionism was all the rage. Created in an era of intense American patriotism and the looming Cold War, this artwork challenged viewers to see a familiar icon in a new light. It’s less about waving a flag and more about questioning what you’re really looking at. The artwork forces a second glance at something we see so often we barely register it anymore. This artwork can be found at Museum of Modern Art.