Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Joan Snyder. It dates from 2009 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled, produced in 2009, is a print that combines digital imaging with lithographic processes. It belongs to a larger portfolio comprising nineteen digital works, of which twelve incorporate lithography, alongside pieces executed with pochoir, hand‑coloring, and gold dusting. The work is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a dense tangle of gestural marks, splashes, and crude shapes. A prominent red tongue protrudes amid a dark, amorphous form that suggests a face, while swirling purple and black lines intersect the surface. Scrawled at the lower edge are the words “Kali Angry Women,” rendered in an unrefined hand, accompanied by additional handwritten annotations.
Technique & Style
Snyder merges a digital print base with traditional lithographic layering, allowing ink‑like stains to bleed into the image. The resulting surface is marked by uneven edges, bold strokes, and a raw, energetic quality that blurs the line between mechanical reproduction and expressive drawing.
History & Provenance
Created as part of a 2009 series, the piece entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings through acquisition shortly after its completion. It remains catalogued as an untitled work within the museum’s print and drawing department.
Context
The work aligns with Snyder’s broader practice of integrating feminist themes and mythic references, here evoking the Hindu goddess Kali as a symbol of anger and empowerment. The chaotic visual language reflects the artist’s interest in confronting emotional intensity through abstracted, painterly gestures.
Artist & collection
Artist
Joan Snyder is an American painter from New York. She is a MacArthur Fellow, a Guggenheim Fellow, and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellow (1974).
