Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite print by Jan Dibbets. It dates from 1973 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Created in 1973, this work consists of eight photolithographic prints on paper, each supplemented with hand‑drawn pencil marks.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1973, this work consists of eight photolithographic prints on paper, each supplemented with hand‑drawn pencil marks. The pieces are arranged as two adjacent square panels that present mirrored landscape scenes of grass and sky, divided by crisp linear boundaries. The juxtaposition generates a visual tension that encourages the viewer to reconsider spatial perception.
Subject & Meaning
The paired images depict simplified terrains—a stretch of green ground beneath a pale blue sky—rendered in a minimalist fashion. By presenting one view as the reverse of the other, the work foregrounds concepts of symmetry, reflection, and the instability of visual reference points, inviting contemplation of how perspective can be constructed and deconstructed.
Technique & Style
The artist employed photolithography, a printmaking process that transfers photographic images onto paper, and then overlaid them with precise pencil interventions. This combination of mechanical reproduction and hand‑drawn alteration underscores a dialogue between photographic realism and the artist’s own geometric interventions, characteristic of Dibbets’ mathematically informed approach.
History & Provenance
Dutch conceptual artist Jan Dibbets, born in 1941 and active in Amsterdam, produced the piece as part of his ongoing exploration of photography and drawing. The work entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains on view, reflecting the institution’s commitment to mid‑20th‑century conceptual practices.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Dibbets (born 9 May 1941, in Weert) is an Amsterdam-based Dutch conceptual artist. His work is influenced by mathematics and works mainly with photography.
