Jasper Johns is not only one of my favourite artists but one of the most influential in modern art history. Opening Tuesday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is a new show by Johns.

"It was crucial to Mr. Johns that “Gray” include not just his paintings but also prints, drawings and sculptures. He often executes drawings after he finishes a canvas, rather than before. “To do a drawing for a painting most often means doing something very sketchy and schematic and then later making it polished,” he said. “It’s done out of a different kind of energy. I love drawings, so I’ve always enjoyed making drawings that exist on their own.”

Yet the idea for the “Gray” show originated when Mr. Johns departed from that norm, producing a predominantly gray untitled drawing in 2001 that paved the way for a large 2002 painting."

The article outling the show in NYC also acts as a great educational piece about the iconic artist and is a must read. Read it here.