Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Joe Tilson. It dates from 1968 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1968, this untitled work by British artist Joe Tilson is a screenprint enhanced with collage elements. It is part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The composition centers on a close‑up of a woman's eyes, framed by bold, graphic shapes and vivid hues of yellow, orange and red.
Subject & Meaning
The image foregrounds a pair of eyes, rendered with pronounced eyebrows and lashes, while a pair of scissors lies beneath them. Above the scissors the phrase “CUT OUT AND SEND” appears, suggesting a playful instruction that references the cut‑and‑paste techniques of pop‑era visual culture and hints at themes of fragmentation and communication.
Technique & Style
Tilson employed traditional screen‑printing methods to produce the base image, then added hand‑cut collage fragments in bright, saturated colors. The juxtaposition of flat, graphic printing with tactile collage creates a layered surface that emphasizes contrast between mechanical reproduction and manual intervention, characteristic of late‑1960s British pop‑inspired art.
History & Provenance
The piece entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings after its acquisition in the early 1970s, reflecting the institution’s interest in contemporary printmaking and the emerging pop‑art dialogue. Since its addition, the work has been displayed in several MoMA exhibitions that explore the intersection of print, collage, and graphic design.
Artist & collection
Artist
Joseph Charles Tilson was a British visual artist and fellow of the Royal Academy. He was involved in the Pop Art movement in the 1960s; he made paintings, prints and constructions.
