Jasper Johns, one of the most influential artists of our time, has been the subject of intense public scrutiny since his landmark first exhibition in 1958. Yet this book, published in conjunction with the 1996-97 exhibition "Jasper Johns: A Retrospective" at The Museum of Modern Art, is the first to present this very private figure in his own words. It brings together Johns's few written articles, key interviews, and the fullest selection ever of his sketchbook drawings and notes.

Important parts of this material are published here for the first time; others have previously been unavailable in English. The provocative originality and subtlety of Johns's thoughts on art, and his well-known concern with precision in language, are evident throughout. This volume will be indispensable for the study of the artist, and will provide fascination and pleasure for all readers interested in contemporary creativity.