Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by John Baldessari. It dates from 2008 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
This painting shows a simple face with raised eyebrows and a furrowed forehead.
The face is colored red, white, and blue, which might remind you of the American flag.
This color choice is interesting because it was part of a project called Artists for Obama in 2008.
To learn more about the artist behind this work, look up the technique: lithography.
Overview
Created in 2008, *Untitled* is a screenprint by John Baldessari, part of a diverse portfolio combining lithographs, etchings, drypoints, and chine collé.
Created in 2008, *Untitled* is a screenprint by John Baldessari, part of a diverse portfolio combining lithographs, etchings, drypoints, and chine collé. The work emerged from a collaborative initiative supporting Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, reflecting Baldessari’s engagement with contemporary political culture. As a key figure in conceptual art, Baldessari consistently blurred boundaries between image and language, using print media to question how meaning is constructed.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a simplified human face with raised eyebrows and a furrowed brow, rendered in red, white, and blue. These colors evoke the American flag, inviting associations with national identity and civic emotion. The expression suggests surprise or concern, but without context, its interpretation remains open. Baldessari avoids explicit narrative, instead prompting viewers to consider how visual symbols carry cultural weight and emotional resonance.
Technique & Style
Baldessari employed screenprinting alongside other printmaking methods in this portfolio, including lithography, etching, and drypoint with chine collé. His use of flat, bold color and minimal form reflects his long-standing interest in reducing imagery to essential elements. The combination of techniques underscores his experimental approach to print media, where process becomes part of the conceptual framework rather than merely a means of reproduction.
History & Provenance
The work was produced as part of a limited edition portfolio titled *Artists for Obama*, commissioned in 2008 to support the presidential campaign. It was one of many contributions by prominent artists, each offering a unique visual response to the political moment. The portfolio was distributed to donors and later entered institutional collections, preserving its role as both artistic statement and historical artifact.
Context
Baldessari’s involvement in *Artists for Obama* aligned with his decades-long practice of using popular imagery to interrogate cultural norms. In the late 2000s, he continued exploring how mass media and political symbolism shape perception. This portfolio placed his conceptual concerns within a public, participatory framework, connecting his art to broader civic discourse during a pivotal moment in American history.
Legacy
The portfolio, including *Untitled*, exemplifies Baldessari’s influence on how artists engage with politics through non-didactic means. Rather than overt propaganda, his work invites reflection through ambiguity and visual economy. His integration of print techniques into conceptual practice helped legitimize printmaking as a serious medium within contemporary art, inspiring generations to treat process and reproduction as integral to meaning.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Anthony Baldessari (June 17, 1931 – January 2, 2020) was an American conceptual artist known for his work featuring found photography and appropriated images.
