January 17, 2026 – July 19, 2026
In 1953, Jasper Johns (b. 1930) moved from Columbia, South Carolina, where he had been stationed at Fort Jackson, to New York, where he would seriously pursue a career as an artist. He became fascinated with ordinary symbols: numbers, flags, and targets, which he manipulated in diverse ways across media. “All familiar things can open into strange worlds,” Johns noted in 2021, an observation that seems to afford space for the infinite possibilities latent in everyday subjects.
In addition to common objects, Johns also frequently engages art historical themes, integrating motifs from artworks across time throughout his paintings and prints. In the 1980s, he began incorporating facets of his own life into his art. The artist has remarked, “In my early work I tried to hide my personality, my psychological state, my emotions, but eventually it seemed like a losing battle.”
Here, we offer a selection of Johns’ work that exemplifies his major artistic preoccupations: everyday objects, the history of art, and personal reflection. In works such as The Seasons, one can find the artist combining all three of these thematic concerns within a single arrangement. Drawn from the CMA’s holdings, the works on view span Johns’ long career, offering a glimpse into the artist’s dynamic and distinct oeuvre.
This selection of Jasper Johns’ work was curated by David Walls, former curatorial assistant, with the support of Hollis Josey, former curatorial intern.