Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Howard Hodgkin. It dates from 2015 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 2015, this untitled work by British artist Howard Hodgkin belongs to a small portfolio that brings together a range of printmaking processes. The piece is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection and exemplifies Hodgkin’s ongoing interest in abstraction through layered, tactile surfaces.
Technique & Style
The image results from a combination of carborundum relief, aquatint and digital printing. Carborundum, a gritty abrasive, was applied to the paper to generate a raised, fingerprint‑like texture, while aquatint provides subtle tonal gradations. Digital elements are integrated into the print, producing a seamless blend of hand‑made and contemporary methods.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a close‑up of rounded forms rendered in muted greens and yellows. The colors merge and shift, creating zones of light and shadow that suggest an abstracted landscape or organic cellular structures, inviting viewers to contemplate surface, depth and the interplay of color without representing a specific object.
History & Provenance
The work was produced as part of a three‑piece portfolio that also includes other print formats such as linocut, lithograph and screenprint. After its creation, the piece entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains on view as an example of Hodgkin’s print practice in the 2010s.
Context
During the later stage of his career, Hodgkin increasingly explored the possibilities of print media, moving beyond painting to investigate texture and materiality. This untitled piece reflects his broader experimental approach, aligning with contemporary trends that merge traditional print techniques with digital technology.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sir Gordon Howard Eliot Hodgkin (6 August 1932 – 9 March 2017) was a British painter and printmaker. His work is most often associated with abstraction.
