Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by David Shrigley. It dates from 2005 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 2005, this untitled work is a woodcut print that belongs to a series of twenty‑two similar images. The piece consists of a stark black silhouette set against a white field, depicting a stylised head with two circular forms suggesting ears and a jagged line implying hair. The design is rendered entirely in solid ink, without interior detail, emphasizing its graphic simplicity.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents an abstracted human profile reduced to its most basic elements. The rounded shapes function as ears, while the irregular, spiky line above the head evokes a crude representation of hair. By stripping the figure to these minimal components, the work invites viewers to contemplate the essence of identity and the humor inherent in overly simplified portraiture.
Technique & Style
The artist employed traditional woodcut methods, carving the design into a wooden block, inking the raised surfaces, and transferring the image onto paper.
The artist employed traditional woodcut methods, carving the design into a wooden block, inking the raised surfaces, and transferring the image onto paper. This relief process yields bold, high‑contrast lines characteristic of the medium. The flat, uniform black areas and the absence of shading reflect a deliberate embrace of the medium’s graphic qualities, aligning the piece with contemporary print traditions that favor directness over realism.
History & Provenance
The print is part of a limited portfolio produced by the artist in the mid‑2000s and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Its inclusion in MoMA’s holdings underscores the institution’s interest in contemporary printmaking and the artist’s contribution to the medium during that period.
Artist & collection
Artist
David John Shrigley is a British visual artist. He lived and worked in Glasgow, Scotland for 27 years before moving to Brighton, England in 2015. Shrigley first came to prominence in the 1990s for his distinct line…
