Monday Motivation - Jasper Johns - Painter

As you can tell, this week's Monday Motivation was directly influenced by last week's Presidential Inauguration.  I think it can safely be said that no matter your political preference, the peaceful transfer of power is an amazing thing to witness and a great source of pride for us here in the United States.  So, when I received an e-mail from the Museum of Modern Art featuring Jasper Johns' painting, Flag, it struck me that artists are uniquely able to express those feelings in a very powerful, but non-verbal way.  His use of the symbol as a visual object allows us to divorce the subject from it's symbolic meaning.  But, for me it's exactly that separation that allows me to see it's true beauty.  His treatment of the surface and the variations in color lend a depth to the image that can be hard to see when you think of the flag in a strictly symbolic way.  Strangely enough, it is through Johns' eyes that I see the flag as more beautiful and powerful than ever before.  I hope you'll take a moment to explore more of Jasper Johns' work and let his work inspire your week.