Gagosian Presents Landmark Survey of Jasper Johns’s Crosshatch Paintings in New York
In a major announcement that has sent ripples through the contemporary art world, Gagosian Gallery has revealed plans for a comprehensive survey of Jasper Johns’s iconic crosshatch paintings, set to open in New York on January 22, 2026. Titled Between the Lines: Jasper Johns, A Survey, 1973–83, the exhibition is a collaboration with the historic Castelli Gallery, marking the 50th anniversary of the series' debut at Castelli in 1977. This ambitious show, hosted at Gagosian’s flagship space at 980 Madison Avenue, promises to delve into one of the most enigmatic phases of Johns’s career, showcasing paintings and drawings that dominated his practice for a decade and continue to influence abstract art today. As the art market anticipates this event amid a resurgence of interest in postwar American masters, the survey underscores Johns’s enduring legacy as a bridge between Pop Art and Minimalism.
Jasper Johns, born in 1930 in Augusta, Georgia, emerged as a pivotal figure in the 1950s New York art scene, challenging the dominance of Abstract Expressionism with his enigmatic depictions of everyday symbols like flags, targets, and numbers. Often associated with the Neo-Dada movement alongside Robert Rauschenberg, Johns’s early works questioned the nature of representation and perception. By the 1970s, however, he had evolved into a more introspective phase, introducing the crosshatch motif—a dense network of parallel lines intersecting at angles, evoking woven patterns or fragmented grids. This series, spanning roughly from 1973 to 1983, represents a departure from his earlier iconography, focusing instead on pure abstraction while retaining subtle references to his previous themes.
The crosshatch paintings are celebrated for their intellectual depth and technical mastery. Johns described the motif as a "visual language" inspired by a fleeting glimpse of a patterned truck on a highway, but critics have interpreted it as a metaphor for the complexities of seeing and knowing. Works like Corpse and Mirror (1974) and Usuyuki (1979) layer hatching in muted tones of gray, blue, and red, creating optical illusions that shift with the viewer’s perspective. These pieces explore duality—presence and absence, order and chaos—echoing philosophical inquiries into reality. As art historian Richard Shiff notes in his essay for the Gagosian Quarterly, the crosshatches "conceal as much as they reveal," inviting prolonged contemplation.
The upcoming exhibition at Gagosian is poised to be a landmark event, gathering over 50 works from private collections, museums, and the artist’s estate. Curated in partnership with Castelli Gallery—where Johns first unveiled the series in a groundbreaking 1977 show—the survey will trace the evolution of the motif across paintings, prints, and drawings. Highlights include early experiments like Scent (1973–74), a large-scale canvas where hatching overlays faint traces of flags, and later pieces such as Between the Clock and the Bed (1981), which incorporates personal symbols like a quilt pattern from Johns’s South Carolina childhood home. The show will occupy multiple floors of the Madison Avenue space, allowing for thematic groupings that highlight Johns’s experimentation with color, scale, and repetition.
This collaboration between Gagosian and Castelli is particularly fitting. Leo Castelli, the legendary dealer who launched Johns’s career in 1958 with his flag paintings, remained a steadfast supporter until his death in 1999. Castelli Gallery, now under the direction of Barbara Bertozzi Castelli, continues to represent Johns’s estate, making this joint effort a nod to historical continuity. Gagosian, founded by Larry Gagosian in 1980, has long championed blue-chip artists like Johns, hosting previous surveys such as "Jasper Johns: Regrets" in 2014. The 2026 exhibition builds on this, aiming to recontextualize the crosshatches in light of contemporary discussions on abstraction and perception.
Johns’s crosshatch period coincided with a tumultuous era in art history. The 1970s saw the rise of Conceptual Art and Minimalism, movements that Johns both influenced and resisted. Unlike the stark grids of Agnes Martin or the serial repetitions of Sol LeWitt, Johns’s hatches are irregular and hand-drawn, infusing mechanical patterns with human touch. This tactility is evident in his printmaking, where he collaborated with workshops like Universal Limited Art Editions to produce etchings and lithographs that expand the motif into multiples. The survey will feature several such prints, demonstrating how Johns used reproduction to question originality—a theme central to his oeuvre.
Critically, the crosshatches have been reevaluated in recent years. A 2017 exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art touched on them within a broader retrospective, but Gagosian’s focused approach promises deeper insights. Scholars like Roberta Bernstein, author of Jasper Johns: Redo an Eye (2017), argue that the series reflects Johns’s interest in phenomenology—the study of subjective experience. The hatches mimic retinal afterimages or moiré patterns, playing tricks on the eye and mind. In an era of digital overstimulation, these works resonate anew, offering analog antidotes to screen fatigue.
The exhibition’s timing aligns with a booming market for Johns’s work. In November 2025, a small crosshatch drawing sold for $2.5 million at Sotheby’s, exceeding estimates by 50%. Major institutions like the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Philadelphia Museum of Art hold significant holdings, but private collectors drive demand. Gagosian’s show could further elevate values, especially as Johns, now 95, remains one of the last living giants of American art.
Beyond the artworks, the survey includes archival materials—sketches, photographs, and correspondence—that illuminate Johns’s process. A catalog with essays by Shiff, Bernstein, and curator Andria Hickey will accompany the show, providing scholarly depth. Public programming, including talks and tours, aims to engage a broad audience, from seasoned collectors to art students.
Johns’s influence extends far beyond the crosshatches. His flags and targets paved the way for Pop Art, while his later works anticipate postmodernism. Artists like Glenn Ligon and Amy Sillman cite him as an inspiration, adapting his motifs to explore identity and abstraction. In New York, where Johns has lived since the 1950s, this survey reaffirms the city’s role as a hub for American modernism.
As anticipation builds, Between the Lines promises to reveal the intricacies of Johns’s vision. In a world of bold statements, his subtle hatches remind us that meaning often lies in the intersections.
The crosshatch series also reflects Johns’s personal life. During the 1970s, he retreated to his South Carolina studio, seeking solitude after the frenetic 1960s. This introspection manifests in the works’ layered complexity, where hatches overlay and obscure, much like memory. Pieces like The Dutch Wives (1975) incorporate enigmatic titles—referencing a type of pillow or a slang for prostitutes—adding linguistic puzzles to visual ones.
Gagosian’s Madison Avenue space, designed by Annabelle Selldorf, provides an ideal setting. Its minimalist architecture complements Johns’s restraint, allowing the works to breathe. The gallery’s history with Johns—representing him since 2011—ensures authenticity, with loans from prestigious sources like the Art Institute of Chicago.
This survey arrives amid renewed interest in mid-century abstraction. Recent exhibitions at Pace Gallery and David Zwirner have spotlighted peers like Willem de Kooning and Cy Twombly, but Johns’s intellectual rigor sets him apart. His crosshatches, devoid of narrative yet rich in implication, challenge viewers to engage actively.
For emerging artists, Johns’s methods offer lessons in iteration. He revisited motifs obsessively, producing variations that evolve subtly. This approach influenced printmaking revolutions, as seen in his collaborations with Tatyana Grosman at ULAE.
The exhibition’s impact could extend globally. With Gagosian’s international network, traveling iterations are possible, bringing Johns’s work to new audiences. In an age of digital reproduction, his emphasis on materiality—thick encaustic layers and textured surfaces—feels refreshingly tactile.
As we await the opening, Between the Lines stands as a testament to Johns’s genius. Fifty years on, his crosshatches remain as enigmatic and vital as ever, intersecting past and present in masterful strokes.
Johns’s legacy is secure, with retrospectives at the Whitney (2021) and Philadelphia (2022) affirming his status. Yet, this focused survey fills a gap, concentrating on a decade that bridged his early symbols and later cycles. It invites reevaluation: Are the crosshatches mere patterns, or profound meditations on fragmentation?
In conclusion, Gagosian’s exhibition celebrates a master at the crossroads of art history. Jasper Johns’s crosshatch paintings, with their intricate lines and hidden depths, continue to captivate, proving that true innovation lies between the lines.
FAQ
What is the title of the Jasper Johns exhibition at Gagosian?
The exhibition is titled Between the Lines: Jasper Johns, A Survey, 1973–83.
When and where will the survey take place?
It opens on January 22, 2026, at Gagosian’s 980 Madison Avenue gallery in New York.
What is the significance of the crosshatch series?
The series, from 1973 to 1983, represents Johns’s shift to abstraction, exploring perception and duality through intersecting lines.
Who is collaborating with Gagosian on this show?
The exhibition is in partnership with Castelli Gallery, where the series debuted in 1977.
Why is this exhibition timely?
It marks the 50th anniversary of the crosshatches' first showing and coincides with renewed market interest in Johns’s work.