Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Enrico Baj. It dates from 1972 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1972, this screenprint with flocking is one of thirty-one works in a diverse portfolio by Italian artist Enrico Baj.
Created in 1972, this screenprint with flocking is one of thirty-one works in a diverse portfolio by Italian artist Enrico Baj. It combines printmaking techniques including screenprinting and tactile flocking to produce a textured, multi-layered image. The portfolio as a whole showcases Baj’s experimental approach to medium, incorporating lithography, etching, woodcut, and collotype alongside more unconventional methods.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts a stylized female figure with exaggerated features: a single large eye and a small, open mouth. Her simplified form, set against a patterned background of flora, evokes a surreal, dreamlike presence. While not explicitly narrative, the image resonates with Baj’s broader concerns about violence and the absurd, subtly reflecting anxieties around modernity and the human condition through symbolic distortion.
Technique & Style
The work employs screenprinting with flocking to introduce a raised, velvety texture to the figure’s dress and hair, enhancing its tactile presence. Bold, flat areas of blue and yellow contrast with a dark, green background marked by abstract floral motifs. Geometric simplification and vivid color choices lend the image a graphic, almost juvenile aesthetic, yet the composition retains a deliberate, calculated strangeness characteristic of Baj’s visual language.
History & Provenance
This print was produced as part of a limited, multi-technique portfolio released in 1972, reflecting Baj’s active engagement with printmaking during the early 1970s. The portfolio was likely circulated among collectors and institutions interested in postwar Italian avant-garde practices. Its inclusion of varied methods underscores Baj’s interest in pushing the boundaries of reproductive print media beyond traditional limits.
Context
Baj’s work in this period was shaped by his associations with intellectual circles in Europe, including writers like Umberto Eco and thinkers engaged with 'pataphysics. His art often merged satire, science fiction, and political critique, positioning the human form as both vulnerable and absurd. This print aligns with his broader rejection of naturalism in favor of symbolic, fragmented imagery that challenges conventional representation.
Legacy
The portfolio to which this print belongs remains a significant example of Baj’s contribution to postwar printmaking. It illustrates his ability to merge conceptual depth with material innovation, influencing later artists interested in the intersection of text, texture, and political allegory. While not widely exhibited as a single piece, its inclusion in institutional collections preserves its role in documenting experimental print practices of the 1970s.
Artist & collection
Artist
Enrico Baj (31 October 1924 – 16 June 2003) was an Italian artist and writer on art.
