The Powers Art Center in Carbondale will debut a new exhibition, “Jasper Johns: a whole can be only a part,” on Dec. 2. The show runs through Oct. 31, 2026. 

The exhibit features Jasper Johns’ work in alphabetical order, offering his artistic approach across six decades. Recurring motifs including flags, targets, numbers, and maps, are structural systems he was drawn to, much like the alphabet. He used it as a subject for three prints, six paintings, and three drawings. 

The theme highlightsJohns’ interests in signs, seriality, language, and change, reflecting the artist’s enduring exploration of how meaning is conveyed. The exhibit asks the viewer: what happens when we put Johns’ work into his own manner of logic and experimentation?

“We like to refer to him as the pioneer of the pop art movement, turning everyday items into works of art, like is it a flag or is it art?” said Director Sonya Moore. “Johns is still alive at 95 and he worked in New York City and he’s from the south.” 

Jessica Eisenthal organized the collection, the first Jasper Johns’ Curatorial Fellow working with the Powers Art Center to both curate a Jasper Johns’ show and provide a critical look at the works of the artist. 

Eisenthal will return in February to speak about the exhibit. In addition to “Jasper Johns: a whole can be only a part,” the current show “In the Living Room with John and Kimiko,” is on display in the main level gallery, which focuses on a moment in time where extraordinary friendships shaped a vibrant collection. The exhibit is open until May 2, 2026.