Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Graciela Carnevale. It dates from 1968 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
This print shows a woman’s face split into two halves. The left side is calm. The right side shows the same face pressed against a glass pane.
In 1968, Carnevale made this during political unrest in Argentina. She used lithography—a method where ink sticks to a flat stone—to keep costs low. Artists often shared cheap prints to spread ideas fast.
Look up the technique she used: lithography.
Overview
Created in 1968, this untitled offset lithograph by Argentine artist Graciela Carnevale is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. The work presents a single female portrait divided down the middle; the left half conveys a composed expression, while the right half shows the same visage pressed against a transparent surface, suggesting tension and fragmentation.
Subject & Meaning
The bifurcated face functions as a visual metaphor for duality, juxtaposing serenity with constraint. By depicting the right side as if trapped behind glass, the image hints at themes of surveillance, oppression, and the psychological impact of external pressures on personal identity.
Technique & Style
Carnevale employed offset lithography, a printmaking process that transfers ink from a prepared stone or plate onto paper via a rubber blanket. This method allowed for relatively inexpensive production, enabling rapid replication and distribution of the image while preserving the crisp line work and tonal contrasts characteristic of her practice.
History & Provenance
The lithograph was produced amid the political turbulence that marked Argentina in the late 1960s. After its creation, the work entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains catalogued as an untitled piece by Carnevale, reflecting the institution’s interest in politically engaged print media.
Context
During the period of military coups and social unrest in Argentina, many artists turned to low‑cost print formats to circulate dissenting ideas. Carnevale’s choice of lithography aligns with this broader strategy, using reproducible media to reach audiences beyond traditional gallery spaces and to comment on the climate of repression.
Artist & collection
Artist
Graciela Carnevale is an Argentine artist who lives and works in Rosario, Argentina.
