Reflection 2: Jasper Johns Mind/Mirror at the Whitney

I went to the Whitney Museum specifically to see the Jasper Johns exhibit titled Mind/Mirror. The exhibit showed the evolution of Johns’ work over the course of over 60 years and included pieces of antiwar protest art from the 1960s to modern sculptures made from the wax used in the casting of larger sculptures. I chose to see this exhibit knowing that Johns is an artist who has distinguished art from objects. For instance, his works of the American Flag or maps do not appear to have any modifications or abstractions, yet his works are evocative or offer a critique or point of view on many social and cultural issues. I am a person who often struggles to find deeper meaning in many works of art, and I found myself more able to relate to and enjoy many of Johns’ work because of this elevation of his subject matter that features everyday objects to something deeper and more expressive.

I find this elevation to be inspiring, and I wonder how this feeling of taking the routine and elevating it to have more meaning might impact my own work as a future nurse researcher. If someone like Johns — who spent his whole career reimagining the world around him — can have such an impact on people who appreciate his work, what impact can I have as a practitioner by taking a similar approach to reimagining how we deliver care? It fills my mind with so many possibilities.

Johns’ works connect to the course in many ways, but mostly through his ability to present the same image or object in a multitude of ways through small changes in color, shadow, or composition. This effort is most visible in his multiple versions of “Savarin,” paintings of a coffee can holding his brushes. This reimagining and remaking connect back to our commitment to reframing problems and inclusion of many perspectives in our work.