The 100 Day Project #12
After Robert
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, New York, USA, 2013
The 100 Day Project, Day 12
Being an American is pretty fraught these days. The largest exodus of American citizens emigrating to Europe and other countries is reportedly happening at levels never seen in our nation's history. Surviving in America — economically, politically, spiritually — seems to get harder and harder as we continue down a path of demanding respect while refusing to extend it to others.
I covered the attacks on 9/11 for The New York Times. That day I witnessed the worst and the best of humanity. And in the years since, the symbolism of the American flag has shifted significantly — its iconographic value moving from unity to division.
In my photograph After Robert, I have flipped the stars out of their long-standing corner, blurred the stripes, and muted the colors to represent the America that I grew up in is losing its vibrancy and stability.
The artwork I photographed, Flag by Jasper Johns, is layered with complexity. An encaustic work collaged with torn strips of a bed sheet, newsprint, pigment, and wax. Johns made many works using common objects — flags, targets, numbers, letters — revealing the complexity of the meaning and symbolism in the everyday.
I have long been curious what the American flag meant to a gay man in post-war America of the 1950s. What complex feelings arise when you are asked to venerate what may be the world's most recognizable symbol of freedom — a freedom that did not yet fully extend to you?
This image is part of my project Co-Authored — a collection of abstract photographs born from my discomfort with artistic appropriation. I embarked on pilgrimages to photograph artworks in some of the most inspiring museums around the world, resulting in a collection that is playful and mysterious, yet sophisticated and elegant. Because museums are largely filled with art made by men, I titled each artwork after the partner or spouse of the artist whose work I photographed — my way of giving voice to the unrecognized support systems that have made so many male artists' careers possible.
About the photo: After Robert
Robert Rauschenberg was an American painter and graphic artist who, like Jasper Johns, is viewed as a one of the most influential pop artist. Their romantic and creative relationship (1954 to 1961) is considered one of the most important in modern art.
Artwork: Flag (1954-55)
Artist: Jasper Johns
Location: The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, New York, USA
About the 100 Day Project: A global creative challenge where thousands of artists share a piece of their practice every single day for 100 days. I'm joining creatives around the world, and I'm excited to bring you along. Each day I'll be sharing one of my photos — some recent, some old, and some from my current project — along with the story behind it: where I was, who I was with, and why I love it.