Basics + Big Ideas

American artist Jasper Johns reinvents ordinary objects—such as flags, targets, and maps—in his work. These common objects interest him because they are “seen” but “not looked at.” In the 1950s, Johns began using another common form in his paintings: numbers.

In his 1961 painting 0 Through 9, above, Johns layers these familiar characters on top of one another. He uses loose brushwork to emphasize different parts of the numbers. You must look “through” each number to see the others. By layering them, Johns abstracts their shapes and challenges the idea of a numeric sequence that viewers might expect based on the title of the work.

American artist Jasper Johns is interested in everyday objects, like flags, targets, and maps. He says they are often “seen” but “not looked at,” or examined closely. Johns reinvents these images in his works. In the 1950s, he began experimenting with numbers, another common form. 

Johns painted 0 Through 9, above, in 1961. He layers the numbers 0 through 9 on top of one another. The viewer must look “through” each number to see the rest of them. Johns abstracts the numbers’ shapes, presenting the common images in an unexpected way. He invites you to think about numbers differently than you would if you were looking at a regular sequence of numbers written side by side.

When Tim Rollins was 26, the American artist and teacher created an after-school program for students at risk of dropping out. In the program, the students explored literature through artistic expression. They called themselves “Kids of Survival” (K.O.S.), and soon, Rollins and K.O.S. began collaborating on artworks. Their work was so powerful that a New York City art gallery began selling it to collectors.

K.O.S. members changed over time, but the group’s process stayed the same. They began with a discussion about an iconic text and then created art inspired by the discussion. They often incorporated pages of books, sheet music, and other printed materials into their work.

Their 2008 I see the promised land (after the Rev. Dr. M. L. King, Jr.) Triangle, above, is a collage including pages of a sermon by civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. The artists paint a triangle on the printed pages, which become a textured background. In his sermon, which is also known as “I’ve been to the mountaintop,” King talks about having a vision of societies that are equal and just—the promised land, or the mountaintop. How do the artists illustrate their interpretation of his words?

Tim Rollins was an American artist and teacher. When he was 26, he started a program for students at risk of dropping out of school. In the program, students created art inspired by books and other texts. They called themselves “Kids of Survival,” or K.O.S. Rollins and K.O.S. began making art together. Their work was so powerful that a New York City art gallery began selling it.

The members of K.O.S. changed over time, but they stuck to one process. First, they read and talked  about a famous text. Then they made art based on their ideas. They often included pages of books, sheet music, and other printed materials.

In 2008, K.O.S. made I see the promised land (after the Rev. Dr. M. L. King, Jr.) Triangle, above. The work is a collage. The group used pages of a sermon by civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. to create the textured background. They painted a triangle on top. In his sermon, King calls his vision for justice and equality the “mountaintop.” How do the artists express their understandings of King’s words in the collage?

At first glance, the 2020 painting shown below, “Do Not Fit Into the Glass Slippers” RFGA by Egyptian-French artist Ghada Amer, appears to be abstract. But look closer, and the seemingly random shapes begin to create a camouflage pattern. Look even closer, and the shapes come together as flowers and stenciled letters. 

Amer challenges traditional ideas about culture—especially expectations placed on women—in her artwork. What ideas might she be challenging by referring to Cinderella’s glass slipper in this painting? Think about the words the letters form and the images the shapes create. Flowers are often considered feminine, and the glass slipper “saved” Cinderella at the end of the fairy tale. Why do you think Amer invites viewers to search for and interpret the hidden meaning in this painting? 

Egyptian-French artist Ghada Amer painted the work below in 2020. It’s called “Do Not Fit Into the Glass Slippers” RFGA. The title refers to the fairy tale Cinderella. At first, you might only see abstract shapes. But Amer uses a camouflage pattern to make you look closer. Can you spot the flowers and stenciled words?   

The disguised type invites you to search for hidden meaning. Amer uses text to ask questions about the story of Cinderella, who was “saved” by a shoe and a prince. Why do you think Amer’s message is important?