One of New York's most reclusive artists, Jasper Johns was something of an enigma back in the day. Turns out, Johns had an efficient way of turning down all the invitations that flooded his mailbox on a daily basis; he would respond to requests using a rubber stamp that reads "Regrets" with his signature below. This very stamp makes a comeback in the Flags painter's latest series of work to be unveiled at the Museum of Modern Art this Saturday, but that's not the only recurring motif in his Regrets series.
Though you may not be able to recognize it, all of the works featured in “Jasper Johns: Regrets,” are based off one photograph of the late painter Lucian Freud. Like many great works of art, there's an interesting story behind Johns' latest series of two paintings, two etchings, and 10 mixed media pieces, too. Originally, Francis Bacon commissioned British photographer John Deakin to take the photo in 1964. Throughout the years, Bacon has kept the original image, tearing and creasing the photo until a dark patch loomed over the foreground. Eventually, Johns stumbled upon Bacon's image in a Christie's catalog, reproduced and obscured it into his own masterpiece.
“Jasper Johns: Regrets,” will be on view from March 15 through Sept. 1 in MoMA's drawing gallery located on the third floor. It will coincide with his exhibition at the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art with Shepard Fairey, which opens later this year on May 22.
[via TheNewYorkTimes]
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