Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Colleen Browning. It dates from 1975 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
The composition consists of multiple paired faces set against patterned backgrounds, inviting close inspection of its layered visual language.
Created in 1975, this untitled lithograph by Colleen Browning belongs to the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. The work is part of a larger portfolio that combines six lithographs, four screenprints—one incorporating collage elements—and two hybrid pieces that merge lithography with screenprinting. The composition consists of multiple paired faces set against patterned backgrounds, inviting close inspection of its layered visual language.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a series of human faces arranged in rows, each juxtaposed with a swath of patterned fabric. Some portraits appear sharply defined, while others are intentionally blurred, suggesting a spectrum of identity and presence. The background fabrics echo national symbols—red, white and blue stripes and star‑filled fields—yet they function more as abstracted motifs than literal flags, prompting reflection on the interplay between individual likenesses and collective iconography.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the piece employs the traditional stone‑or‑metal printing process, allowing for both crisp lines and subtle tonal variations. The artist integrates collage‑like elements by overlaying printed patterns that resemble fabric textures, blurring the boundary between pure printmaking and mixed media. The bold color palette and repetitive arrangement underscore a modernist concern with seriality and visual rhythm.
History & Provenance
Colleen Browning produced this work during a prolific period in the mid‑1970s, contributing it to a multi‑format portfolio that explored the dialogue between lithography and screenprinting. The Museum of Modern Art acquired the print, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings, representing both the artist’s printmaking practice and the broader experimentation with hybrid techniques of the era.
Artist & collection
