South Carolina Hall Of Fame: Jasper Johns

In the late 1950s Jasper Johns emerged as a force in the American art scene, laying the groundwork for both Pop Art and Minimalism. Born in Allendale, South Carolina, he attended the University of South Carolina and then the Parson's School of Design in New York City. At his first exhibition at the Leo Castelli Gallery in New York in 1958 the Museum of Modern Art purchased three of his pieces. Subjects for his works include targets, maps, flags, and numbers. He is also known as a printmaker, sculptor, and illustrator. Over his lifetime, Jasper Johns has created a body of rich and complex work. His attention to the themes of popular imagery and abstraction has set the standards for American art. Challenging the technical possibilities of printmaking, painting, and sculpture, he has laid the foundation for a wide range of experimental artists.