The artwork titled “Bent ‘Blue’” was created by Jasper Johns in 1971. It is an illustration that channels the principles of the Neo-Dada art movement, characterized often by its use of irony, found objects, and a break from the traditional aesthetic of fine art. Johns, whose work frequently navigates the boundary between figurative and abstraction, presents a composition that integrates these elements. The Neo-Dada movement sought to blur the lines between art and everyday life, and this work is demonstrative of such an approach.
The artwork itself features a stylized depiction of what appears to be the number “7” and the letter “J” arranged in a vertical symmetry. They are abstracted and seem to emerge from a central axis or line that bisects the composition. The figures are simplified and possess an almost architectural form, bending as if they are reflections in an invisible mirror, suggesting depth through their shading and the angles of their lines. Despite the title’s reference to blue, the artwork is rendered in a monochrome, with thick black contours defining the shapes against a stark white background. The abstract and geometrical nature of this piece provokes contemplation about form, symmetry, and the essence of representation.
