Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Edmund de Waal. It dates from 2015 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
It combines etching and embossing with other processes including carborundum relief, chine collé, and digital printing.
Created in 2015, Untitled is one of thirteen works in a multi-technique print portfolio by Edmund de Waal. It combines etching and embossing with other processes including carborundum relief, chine collé, and digital printing. The layered, fragmented surface suggests a physical engagement with paper as a site of revision and memory, aligning with de Waal’s broader interest in material residue and the traces of labor.
Subject & Meaning
The image resembles a handwritten draft, densely covered in black ink with repeated phrases such as 'begin again' and 'from zero.' Crossed-out lines and taped fragments of lighter paper imply revision, erasure, and partial recovery. The work evokes the act of thinking through writing—not as polished text, but as a process of accumulation and undoing, mirroring de Waal’s preoccupation with memory and impermanence.
Technique & Style
De Waal employed a hybrid printmaking approach, layering etching, embossing, chine collé, and digital methods on a single sheet. The irregular edges and uneven paper tones suggest hand-assembled components. The embossing adds subtle topography, while the taped inserts introduce physical discontinuity. These techniques reject uniformity, emphasizing texture, imperfection, and the material history of the paper itself.
History & Provenance
Untitled was produced in 2015 as part of a limited portfolio that brought together diverse print media. It entered the collection of The Museum of Modern Art shortly after its creation, reflecting institutional recognition of de Waal’s expansion from ceramics into print. The work’s inclusion underscores its significance as a bridge between his sculptural practice and textual, archival concerns.
Context
De Waal’s practice often responds to archives, personal histories, and displaced objects, particularly those tied to loss and migration. Though Untitled is not explicitly tied to a specific site or collection, its aesthetic echoes his broader engagement with the physicality of documents—their wear, repair, and fragility. The work aligns with contemporary inquiries into how memory is stored and altered through material means.
Legacy
Untitled exemplifies de Waal’s influence in redefining printmaking as a medium for conceptual and tactile exploration. By treating the page as a site of revision rather than finality, he expanded the boundaries of traditional print portfolios. The work continues to inform contemporary discussions on the relationship between writing, materiality, and the passage of time in art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edmund Arthur Lowndes de Waal, (born 10 September 1964) is an English contemporary artist, potter and author.
