Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Joan Semmel. It dates from 2009 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled, produced in 2009 by Joan Semmel, is a digital print that forms part of a larger series of nineteen works. The series includes a mix of digital prints, lithographs, a pochoir, a hand‑colored piece, and a work embellished with gold dust. This particular print is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a solitary nude figure rendered in a soft, impressionistic manner. The body is obscured, with a raised right arm and a lowered left arm that seems to grasp an unseen object. The ambiguous facial features and muted palette evoke a quiet intimacy, suggesting themes of vulnerability and the private interiority of the self.
Technique & Style
Created as a digital print, the work employs a blurred, almost painterly effect that mimics the gestural qualities of traditional media. The lack of sharp edges and the subtle gradations of tone give the figure a sense of movement within a still composition, while the stark white background isolates the form and heightens its ethereal presence.
History & Provenance
The piece was added to the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings after its acquisition in the early 2010s, joining a broader representation of Semmel’s print practice. It belongs to a portfolio that juxtaposes digital processes with historic print techniques, reflecting the artist’s exploration of medium and material across the series.
Artist & collection
Artist
Joan Semmel is an American feminist painter and professor emeritus in painting. She is best known for her large-scale naturalistic nude self portraits as seen from her perspective looking down.
![Untitled [photograph using a slide projection of dopatta and chilli]., by Zarina Bhimji](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/zarina-bhimji--untitled-photograph-using-a-slide-projection-of-dopatta-and--d03dd096ef04d951-w320.webp)
