Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Ezio Gribaudo. It dates from 1969 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1969 by Italian artist Ezio Gribaudo, this untitled print belongs to the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Executed on a single sheet of white paper, the work consists of a series of deep, undulating grooves that emerge solely from the pressure of the printing plate, leaving the paper’s surface itself as the only visible element.
Technique & Style
Gribaudo employed an inkless intaglio process, a variation on traditional intaglio where the incised lines are not filled with pigment. Instead, the artist pressed the plate firmly enough to depress the paper fibers, producing tactile, wave‑like depressions. The resulting marks resemble hand‑carved lines, emphasizing the physical act of printing over the application of color.
History & Provenance
The piece was completed in the late 1960s, a period when Gribaudo explored the boundaries between drawing and printmaking. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings through acquisition (or donation) shortly after its creation, where it has been displayed as an example of experimental print techniques that foreground materiality and absence.
Context
Gribaudo’s inkless intaglio aligns with broader mid‑century investigations into negative space and the material properties of paper. By removing ink, the artist draws attention to the pressure and depth achieved through the printing press, echoing contemporary interests in process‑based art and the reduction of visual elements to their most essential forms.
Artist & collection
