Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an oil print by Ellen Gallagher. It dates from 2004 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled, produced in 2004 by Ellen Gallagher, comprises a suite of sixty small-scale prints assembled as a single work. The collection is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection and exemplifies Gallagher’s practice of combining diverse printing processes with mixed-media interventions.
Subject & Meaning
Each panel juxtaposes fragmented human features—faces, hands—and a variety of typographic elements drawn from multiple languages. The dense layering of symbols, words, and abstract forms invites viewers to navigate a visual field that oscillates between recognizable iconography and enigmatic abstraction.
Technique & Style
The portfolio employs an extensive range of printmaking methods, including photogravure, aquatint, screenprint, lithograph, etching, and drypoint, alongside collage, modelling clay, laser‑cut elements, and assorted surface treatments such as glitter, gold leaf, and embedded objects. This multiplicity creates a tactile, collage‑like surface where each print functions as a self‑contained puzzle.
History & Provenance
Created in 2004, the work entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its completion, where it remains on view as part of the institution’s holdings of contemporary print media.
Context
Gallagher’s Untitled aligns with her broader interest in the intersection of text and image, as well as her exploration of cultural signifiers through mixed media. The work reflects early‑2000s dialogues around identity, language, and the materiality of print.
Legacy
The piece stands as a reference point for subsequent artists who merge traditional print techniques with unconventional materials, illustrating how print can function as a platform for complex, multi‑layered narratives.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ellen Gallagher is an American artist. Her work has been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions and is held in the permanent collections of many major museums. Her media include painting, works on paper, film and…
