In JohnsвЂ™s Flags, I wonder, which is the вЂњtrueвЂќ American flag: the one made of contrast colors, the grayscale impression, or the flag we make in our minds? Maybe the answer isnвЂ™t important and, rather than focusing on what we believe to be true, this Memorial Day we honor the flexibility of American symbols and the people they represent.As part of the movement that was initiated last week, families that are facing hunger or need any other kind of assistance are encouraged to wave a white flag or put a piece of white cloth outside their homes to signal that they need help. JohnsвЂ™s trick of perception is useful because it demonstrates the mechanics behind the visible world and challenges viewers to question, or to look again. Or disparate access to resources that, now more than ever, become a matter of life or death. Or gaps in protections for workers who have lost their jobs. Like, for example, the vital service of workers who are just now recognized as essential. After-imagery speaks to certain вЂњtruthsвЂќ of this isolated-era that have only been revealed in relief. In a palpable fight against an invisible disease, JohnsвЂ™s вЂњafterimageвЂќ becomes an especially potent metaphor. In our current moment, this loose association sparks a few questions: What does the American flag mean to essential workers who are undocumented, underpaid, underinsured, and underrecognized? What does the American flag mean for communities that are overrepresented in essential positions but under-represented in public discourse? This description of JohnsвЂ™s Flags sets up a surface-level connection: Memorial Day, the American flag, and Jasper Johns.

In JohnsвЂ™s print, a commonplace icon only exists in its вЂњtrueвЂќ form when I make it in my mind. What makes this work so compelling, in my view, is the simultaneous awe and intimacy we get to experience with this shared symbol. You should see the time-honored red, white, and blue, but only as an afterimage. Close your eyes, then open them and look at the dot in the bottom flag. This is how the вЂњtrickвЂќ works: look at the dot in the upper flag for about 30 seconds. Both banners have a small dot in the middle.

This lithograph contains two flags: Johns renders one with green, black, and orange ink while he prints the other in grayscale. He paints the Stars and Stripes in textures, colors, and configurations that challenge the ordinariness of the traditional design. One of his most recognized appropriations is the American flag, Old Glory herself. Following weeks of shelter-in-place, the United States is slowly reopening, and the essential workers weвЂ™ve relied on to keep us afloat during quarantine are now on the front lines of a new frontier, life in a cautiously post-isolation world.Д®nter Jasper Johns, a celebrated American artist who uses sculpture, painting, and print works to study symbols that are ubiquitous in everyday life. They risk their health and safety to care for their families and keep the fundamental systems of our society alive. Essential workers across industries have risked their lives to keep our country running: they uphold the basic structure of our healthcare system, food supply chain, postal and delivery services, and the countless other things we consider public goods. This Memorial Day, I think itвЂ™s appropriate to honor frontline workers for the vital services they have provided during the pandemic.

What does the black flag represent