Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Allan D'Arcangelo. It dates from 1967 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled, produced in 1967, is a screenprint that forms part of a larger series comprising nine screenprints—some augmented with collage, die‑cut, or punched‑hole techniques—alongside six lithographs and an etching. The work belongs to the collection of the Museum of Modern Art and exemplifies the artist’s interest in graphic simplicity.
Subject & Meaning
The composition relies on a stark arrangement of geometric forms: a large black arrow whose tail curves upward and leftward, terminating in a red tip that directs attention to a small black triangle. Set against a uniform light‑blue field, the shapes create a clear visual hierarchy that guides the eye downward, suggesting directionality and tension within an abstract framework.
Technique & Style
Executed as a screenprint, the image employs flat areas of color and crisp edges, emphasizing the graphic quality of the design. The artist’s use of primary hues—black, red, and blue—combined with the minimalistic treatment of shape reflects a modernist aesthetic that values clarity and visual impact over representational detail.
History & Provenance
Created during a prolific period for the artist in the late 1960s, the print was incorporated into a portfolio that explored variations on screenprinting, collage, and other printmaking interventions. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings shortly after its completion, where it has remained part of the institution’s print collection.
Context
The work aligns with broader trends in mid‑century American printmaking, where artists frequently investigated the possibilities of mass‑production techniques and bold visual language. Its emphasis on basic geometric forms and limited color palette resonates with contemporaneous developments in Op Art and Minimalism.
Artist & collection
Artist
Allan D'Arcangelo was an American artist and printmaker, best known for his paintings of highways and road signs that border on pop art and minimalism, precisionism and hard-edge painting, and also surrealism.
