The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Johns’ flags inspire artist to create tribute
Robert Carley’s recycled art on display at his home
DARIEN — Local artist Robert Carley favors the work of Jasper Johns because of Johns’ use of the American flag.
His Johns’ creative approach also is something Carley takes to heart: “Take an object. Do something to it. Do something else to it,” is one of his favorite quotes from Johns, who will turn 90 on Friday and is best known for his painting “Flag” (1954—55).
Since the coronavirus pandemic shutdown in March, Carley has devoted his time to making flags out of recycled materials — milk cartons, coffee cup lids, cassette tapes and even shuttlecocks, all painted red, white and blue and incorporated into flags of all shapes and sizes. He is showing them at his home on Boston Post Road, where he’s caught the public’s attention.
He wanted to assemble an outdoor exhibit of the flags in Sharon, where Johns has a home.
“For the past year, I was planning on setting up my own flag works somewhere in Sharon near where Johns lives, so he could possibly see them,” Carley said. “Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, however, I had to settle displaying them in my yard.
“I would have loved to have Johns see them,” he said. “I dedicate them to Johns, who will turn 90 years old on May 15.”
Johns’ making a flag an acceptable work of art has been a motivator for Carley, who also believes in repurposing materials that usually are tossed in the trash. Along with the lids and other materials, Carley recently has focused on a popular material: toilet paper and paper towel tubes.
“Now that toilet paper is so respected and sought after, I’m using the tubes,” Carley said. “I’m also using egg cartons — they have such a unique design.”
The flag house on Route 7 in Kent, painted by Kevin Sabia after he had a dream of the flag, also is a prominent inspiriation for Carley. The house eventually was sold and painted, but the memory remains in his mind.
“That house was painted after 9/11, and it was such a moving thing to me,” he said. “A flag can morph into so many things; the genius of the design of the American flag is most beautiful to me. That house is just unforgettable.”
He’s been photographing flag houses since 9/11, and eventually decided to use his own creativity and show his patriotism. “I’ve just continue to make flags using different designs that will inspire other people,” Carley said.
The flag exhibit at his house is dedicated to medical and emergency service workers, some who have died from COVID-19. “It’s such a difficult time, and I think it’s great to make people feel like they’re a part of the American family,” Carley said. “I mean, we’re all under the same roof. I just pray that during this time, Americans will try to forget their political stripes and care about other people.”
According to jasper-johns.org, Johns came onto the art scene in the 1950s. Much of the work he created led the American public away from the expressionism form toward an art movement or form known as the concrete. He would depict many flags and maps, and this created a more distinct style with the work that was being done during this period in American art history. He also was one of the leading forces to the pop form known as minimalism; to this day, many of the pieces sold at auction bring in extremely high prices, some selling for record amounts.
Carley had two abstract drawings accepted into The Carriage Art Barn’s 30th Contemporary Art Show, Spectrum Visions. He found inspiration outside the studio at Dunkin’ Donuts in Norwalk and Stew Leonard’s, where he worked on his two pieces for the show. This was the first art show in his career at which an opening reception had to be canceled. Carley wanted to share his creations with the public. To view other artwork in the Spectrum show, visit https://carriagebarn .org/spectrum-2020-thumbnails.
To learn more about Carley’s work, visit his Facebook page at facebook.com/robert.carley.56.