Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by General Idea in 1986.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Museum of Modern Art.

Untitled by General Idea (1986) — Meaning & Museum

About this work

Overview

Created in 1986, this screenprint by the collective General Idea is catalogued as Untitled and belongs to the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The work presents a graphic composition dominated by a shield outline, within which a stylized yellow lion, a green dragon, and jagged foliage are rendered in flat, unmodulated color fields.

Subject & Meaning

The central motif features a lion poised on its hind legs, tongue protruding, juxtaposed with a coiling dragon that encircles the shield’s interior. The surrounding serrated leaves occupy the lower half, suggesting a hybrid of heraldic symbolism and playful, cartoonish imagery that invites interpretation of power, conflict, and natural forms in a simplified visual language.

Technique & Style

Executed as a screenprint, the image relies on solid blocks of pigment without gradation, producing a crisp, cut‑out appearance reminiscent of paper collage. The limited palette—bright yellow, vivid red, and various greens—emphasizes graphic clarity, while the flatness of the forms underscores the work’s affinity with commercial printing and pop visual culture.

History & Provenance

The piece was produced by General Idea, a Canadian artist collective active from the late 1960s through the 1990s, known for its collaborative approach and conceptual interventions. After its creation, the print entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection, where it remains on view as part of the institution’s holdings of late‑20th‑century print media.

Context

Untitled emerges from a period when General Idea explored themes of identity, media saturation, and the commodification of art. The work’s heraldic references echo the group’s broader interest in symbols and branding, while its graphic simplicity aligns with contemporaneous trends in appropriation and the use of mass‑production techniques within fine art.