Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Joe Tilson. It dates from 1969 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1969, this untitled work by British artist Joe Tilson combines a screenprint base with collage elements. The piece is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection and exemplifies the artist’s interest in juxtaposing disparate visual materials within a single composition.
Subject & Meaning
The image assembles black‑and‑white photographs, a central yellow band marked by red stars and textual fragments, and a variety of portraiture ranging from sharply focused faces to blurred figures. Interspersed are a map and a woman's photograph, suggesting themes of identity, geography, and fragmented narrative.
Technique & Style
Tilson employs screenprinting as the structural foundation, then overlays torn paper fragments, creating a deliberately rough, scrapbook‑like surface. The contrast between bold color fields and monochrome imagery, together with the collage’s chaotic arrangement, reflects a post‑pop aesthetic that resists seamless visual harmony.
History & Provenance
The work was produced in the late 1960s, a period when Tilson was exploring mixed‑media printmaking. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings through acquisition, where it remains on display as part of the institution’s representation of experimental print practices.
Context
During the late 1960s, artists increasingly incorporated found imagery and collage into prints to comment on mass media and consumer culture. Tilson’s untitled piece aligns with this trend, echoing contemporary concerns about the overload of visual information and the breakdown of singular narratives.
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.
