One and Many Works

Ventriloquism can function as a methodology. This section is organized around Ventriloquist II by Jasper Johns. The print presents a series of quotes and references dear to the artist, such as a lithograph by Barnett Newman in the top right, an illustration of Moby Dick in the background, and ceramic pieces by George Ohr floating around, along with a work by Johns himself, the iconic double flags. Difficult to see at first, these quotations (Newman, Ohr, and Moby Dick) can be traced and cited. There are, however, references (the bathroom, the incomplete flag, the hinges, etc.) that can be unpacked and conjured by works in the collection (Gober, Petto, Ligon, a Navajo American flag). Johns creates a temporary arrangement, a mini exhibition almost, concerning his voice in a complex spatial relationship with other voices. The print’s title implies all of the voices folded within the work.