Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Fiona Banner. It dates from 2001 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Fiona Banner’s 2001 lithograph titled Untitled was produced on newsprint using a printmaking process. The work measures a modest size typical of newspaper sheets and presents a stark visual field dominated by text. It is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection, reflecting the institution’s interest in contemporary print media.
Subject & Meaning
The image features a blurred, pale pink silhouette of a torso and face, over which the phrase “ARSEWOMAN IN WONDERLAND” appears in uneven red capitals. The juxtaposition of a fragmented human form with a provocative, playful title invites consideration of gendered language, identity, and the absurdity often found in popular visual culture.
Technique & Style
Created as a lithograph on cheap newsprint, the piece exhibits a rough, hastily printed edge and a texture reminiscent of flyers or posters. The red lettering is stamped rather than finely rendered, giving it a slightly messy, hand‑made quality that contrasts with the smoother tonal area of the blurred figure.
History & Provenance
Banner, a British artist born in 1966, produced Untitled during a period when she was investigating the visual language of Hollywood war films and fighter aircraft. The work entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation, becoming part of the museum’s holdings of contemporary prints.
Context
Untitled aligns with Banner’s broader practice that spans sculpture, drawing, installation, and text‑based works. Her interest in the narratives and visual conventions of cinema, especially war movies, informs the piece’s blend of textual provocation and ambiguous figuration, echoing the artist’s ongoing dialogue with media representation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Fiona Banner (born 1966), also known as The Vanity Press, is a British artist. Her work encompasses sculpture, drawing, installation and text, and demonstrates a long-standing fascination with the emblem of fighter…
