Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink drawing by Elaine Lustig Cohen. It dates from 1997 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled, produced in 1997, is a mixed-media work that combines a gelatin‑silver photographic image with torn and reassembled printed paper and ink applied to paper. The piece is catalogued as a drawing and belongs to the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
Subject & Meaning
The composition juxtaposes a black‑and‑white portrait of a woman’s face and shoulders with fragmented strips of colored paper. The same facial image reappears lower in the field, partially obscured by the collage elements, suggesting themes of concealment and the layering of identity.
Technique & Style
Cohen employs a collage method, cutting and pasting printed ephemera—such as tickets or labels—onto the photographic base. The paper fragments, rendered in reds and greens, create a textured surface, while ink accents enhance the visual tension between the photographic and tactile components.
History & Provenance
Created toward the end of Cohen’s career, the work entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings shortly after its completion. It remains part of MoMA’s permanent collection, representing the artist’s later exploration of mixed media.
Context
During the 1990s, Cohen’s practice increasingly incorporated collage and assemblage, building on her earlier modernist graphic design background. Untitled reflects this shift, merging photographic realism with the materiality of everyday printed matter.
Artist & collection
Artist
Elaine Lustig Cohen was an American graphic designer, artist, rare-book dealer, and art collector.
