Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Alfred Young. It dates from 1967 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1967, this lithograph by Alfred Young is part of The Museum of Modern Art’s collection. It presents a minimal urban scene composed of two abstracted structures: a low, curved building on the left and a tall, striped tower on the right. The composition relies on flat planes of color and sharp outlines, eliminating texture and detail to emphasize form over realism.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a stylized cityscape without human figures or recognizable landmarks. The two buildings, rendered as simplified geometric shapes, suggest architectural contrast—horizontal versus vertical, organic versus rigid. The absence of context or narrative invites interpretation as an abstract representation of urban structure rather than a specific location.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the print uses clean, unbroken lines and unmodulated color fields. The sky and ground are rendered as solid, uniform tones, while the buildings are defined by stark silhouettes and horizontal banding. The technique enhances the graphic quality of the work, aligning it with mid-century modernist tendencies toward reduction and clarity.
History & Provenance
The work was produced in 1967 and entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly thereafter. It is one of several prints by Young from this period that explore architectural abstraction. No documented exhibition history or prior ownership is publicly recorded beyond its acquisition by the museum.
Context
Created during a time when many artists were turning to abstraction and serial forms, Young’s print reflects broader interests in simplifying urban environments into essential shapes. It shares affinities with the work of contemporaries who used printmaking to investigate structure, space, and the visual language of modern architecture.
Legacy
Though not widely exhibited, this lithograph contributes to Young’s smaller body of graphic work that prioritizes formal economy. Its restrained aesthetic continues to be referenced in studies of 1960s American printmaking, particularly in discussions of how lithography could convey architectural ideas through minimal means.
Artist & collection
