Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Carroll Dunham. It dates from 2005 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
There’s a big black rectangle on the right, a curved brown shape in the middle, and some jagged lines cutting across.
This drawing looks like a rough sketch with lots of lines and shapes. There’s a big black rectangle on the right, a curved brown shape in the middle, and some jagged lines cutting across. The lines are uneven, like they were drawn fast. The whole thing feels loose and a bit messy.
The artist signed it in the corner with the year 2004–2006. It’s part of a set of 14 prints made the same way.
Want to see how this was made? Look up lithography.
Overview
Carroll Dunham, born in 1949, produced a series of fourteen lithographs titled *Untitled* between 2004 and 2006. These works belong to his broader practice that spans painting and drawing, developed since the late 1970s. The series exemplifies his sustained interest in merging abstract forms with suggestive figuration, using the lithographic process to capture spontaneous, gestural marks that echo his drawn compositions.
Subject & Meaning
The imagery resists clear narrative, instead presenting abstracted shapes that hint at bodily or architectural fragments. A large black rectangle, a curved brown form, and erratic linear elements interact without clear hierarchy, evoking tension between structure and chaos. Dunham’s approach invites interpretation without resolution, aligning with a tradition of open-ended visual inquiry rooted in surrealism and street-based mark-making.
Technique & Style
Each print was made using lithography, a method allowing for direct, fluid translation of hand-drawn marks onto stone. Dunham’s lines are uneven and urgent, suggesting rapid execution. The composition favors asymmetry and layered textures, with dense black areas contrasting against lighter, fragmented forms. The technique preserves the immediacy of sketching, reinforcing the work’s raw, unpolished aesthetic.
History & Provenance
The series was produced in 2004–2006 as a unified set of fourteen prints, all bearing Dunham’s signature and date range. No single print is designated as primary; each exists as an equal component of the whole. The works emerged during a period of heightened recognition for Dunham’s printmaking, following decades of critical engagement with his painted oeuvre. Their production aligns with his broader exploration of process-driven imagery.
Context
Dunham’s lithographs reflect a broader shift in late 20th-century American art toward hybrid forms that blur abstraction and representation. His work responds to influences ranging from graffiti’s spontaneity to surrealism’s psychological undertones, while resisting easy categorization. Within the context of printmaking, these pieces stand apart for their rejection of refinement in favor of expressive disorder.
Legacy
The *Untitled* series contributes to Dunham’s reputation for redefining printmaking as a medium for conceptual and gestural experimentation. Rather than serving as mere reproductions, these lithographs function as autonomous works that extend his painterly concerns into the realm of multiples. Their influence is seen in later artists who prioritize process and ambiguity over polished finish.
Artist & collection
Artist
Carroll Dunham (born November 5, 1949) is an American painter. Working since the late 1970s, Dunham's career reached critical renown in the 1980s when he first exhibited with Baskerville + Watson, a decade during which…
