Contemporary Art History

1. Jasper Johns, American born 1930 “Savarin” 1977-81

Houston Museum of Fine ArtsHmmm…what’s the bloody hand and

coffee can all about?This lithograph print can be seen as a

symbolic self-portrait.Edward Munch’s self portrait that

inspired Jasper Johns-arm print is at the very bottom. It’s not at all unusual for an artist to gain ideas from other artists.

Jasper Johns gives credit to Edward Munch for inspiring this piece as you can see by the initials- E. M. Edward Munch created a self portrait using a skeletal arm print so Jasper Johns decided to incorporate the idea into his work too. Jasper Johns represents himself with his painting tools and coffee can. The crosshatched pattern is a common motif in his prints. The Museum of Fine Art Houston owns this piece.

Edward Munch’s self portrait that inspired Jasper Johns-arm print is at the very bottom.

2. Luis Cruz Azaceta American Born 1942 “A Question of Color”

Houston Museum of Fine ArtsHave you ever heard someone say

”Well I could do that?” It’s about whether you could do it or not, it’s more about the message the artist it trying to convey. Luis Azaceta has a very powerful message about a point he wants to make. The artist wrote “I was exploring the idea of fences as boundaries, symbols of power, human confinements and territorial spaces…the painting deals of racism….”

• Note the areas of bold black and white tones on his canvas divided by black and white fences to deliver his message. Azaceta was born in Cuba. At the age of 18 he became disillusioned with the government and immigrated to the United States. This painting can be seen at the Museum of Fine Art, Houston

3. Robert Rauschenberg 1925-2008 American “Reservoir” 1961- Smithsonian American Art Museum

Artworks using this technique are called “Combine Paintings”. They combine art media and everyday objects. If you saw the real painting closely you can see actual working clocks, a little bucket and a wheel that spins. What meaning could you attach to those significant items? The title Reservoir may give us some insight-both the clocks and the bucket can only hold so much. Are we spinning through life?

4. M.C Escher. Sun and Moon 1948At first we look at this tessellation we might only see the

repeating bird shapes flying about. Why then did he call it “Sun and Moon”? To really understand this piece you need to look very closely. If you look just at the dark birds you see the nighttime sky with all the planets and stars. When you look at the white birds, the daytime emerges with the radiating sunrays. M.C. Esher loved to create artworks that intrigue the viewer with surprises and impossible forms. He was a mathematician.

5.Maya Lin “Woman’s Table” 1993 American

• Lin has designed several of the most significant and best known works of public art in the late 20th century. Sometimes a title can give us a clue to what the artist is thinking. Maya Lin decided to use numbers in the sculpture after learning that Yale admitted women using a quota system. This can be seen if you look on the top through the water. Lin also designed the Viet Nam War Memorial, which at first drew angry protests before becoming a beloved monument. It is not at all unusual to find people weeping at its sight.

Bird’s eye view of Women’s Table showing the numbers of women admitted to the school and correlated year.