Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a print by Joan Jonas. It dates from 2017 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
This is a black-and-white photocopied-style sheet of paper with handwritten text.
This is a black-and-white photocopied-style sheet of paper with handwritten text. The words are cramped but legible, filling most of the page. The edges are uneven, like it was torn from a notebook. At the bottom right, a signature reads *"Joan Jonas Feb 2017."*
The text is a protest letter from artists against a travel ban. It mentions specific countries and how it affects colleagues. The handwriting is messy but clear—no fancy strokes, just direct, urgent words.
Look up Joan Jonas for more on how artists use their work to speak out.
Overview
Untitled is a digital print by Joan Jonas, created in February 2017 as part of a portfolio of nine. It is a black-and-white image resembling a photocopy, with handwritten text filling the page.
Subject & Meaning
The text is a protest letter against a travel ban, referencing specific countries and its impact on colleagues. The handwriting is direct and urgent, conveying a sense of immediacy and concern.
Technique & Style
The print's uneven edges and handwritten text give it a raw, notebook-page quality. The handwriting is characterized by its simplicity and lack of embellishment, emphasizing the message over form.
History & Provenance
The print is held at The Museum of Modern Art, a testament to its significance as a work of contemporary art.
Context
The work reflects Jonas's use of art as a means of speaking out on social issues, a theme present in her broader practice.
Artist & collection
Artist
Joan Jonas is an American visual artist and a pioneer of video and performance art, "a central figure in the performance art movement of the late 1960s".
