Figure 1 “Three Flags” By Jasper Johns (1958)

As a viewer of this painting I feel like this painting is supposed to make you think about why it is layered and how that connects to America.  I think Jasper John is trying to express that there are many layers in America concerning our society, politics and more. It also confuses me on what it is trying to express through this layered art. I noticed that it is three dimensional which also has meaning behind it. The flag by itself is a symbol for the freedoms and values of America therefore that makes me wonder what it means in the context of this painting. Many felt that Johns American values were uncertain and a source commented saying, “Abstract Expressionism had everyone talking about whether American culture had triumphed, and the state department even took an interest in its public-relations value.”(http://www.haberarts.com/3flags.htm) I think the piece is expressing a strong message about American values and has hidden meaning.  
​