Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Gavin Jantjes. It dates from 1974 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled, produced in 1974, is a portfolio comprising eleven screenprints accompanied by a screen‑printed paper cover. Several of the prints incorporate additional paper elements that are clipped or taped onto the surface, creating a layered, assemblage‑like effect. The work is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art and is presented in a stark black‑and‑white palette.
Subject & Meaning
Entries are arranged in rows, some accompanied by bracketed annotations, and invoke terms such as "violence," "resettlement," and "anti‑apartheid.
The imagery consists of a typographic list resembling a research bibliography, enumerating titles of books and pamphlets related to South Africa’s apartheid system. Entries are arranged in rows, some accompanied by bracketed annotations, and invoke terms such as "violence," "resettlement," and "anti‑apartheid." By foregrounding these references, the work functions as a documentary gesture that foregrounds the political climate and invites viewers to consider the informational basis of resistance.
Technique & Style
Jantjes employs traditional screen‑printing to reproduce the typed text, while the added paper fragments introduce a tactile dimension that disrupts the flatness of the print. The monochrome execution emphasizes the textual content over visual ornamentation, aligning the piece with conceptual practices that prioritize idea over decorative form.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑1970s, a period of intensified anti‑apartheid activism, the portfolio entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its completion. Its acquisition reflects the institution’s interest in politically engaged print media and the work’s relevance to broader discourses on art as activism.
Context
The piece aligns with a generation of artists who transformed political pamphleteering and archival material into visual statements. Jantjes, a South African‑born practitioner, frequently incorporated textual documentation into his practice, echoing the strategies of contemporaries who used print media to disseminate dissenting narratives during the apartheid era.
Artist & collection
