Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by John Goodyear. It dates from 1965 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
The piece functions as a double‑sided screenprint that also incorporates cut‑out elements, inviting the viewer to manipulate its physical presence.
Created in 1965, this untitled work by John Goodyear consists of a single sheet of paper printed on both sides in vivid red and black. Bold geometric forms—circles and irregular, jagged cut‑outs—define the surface, allowing light to pass through the voids. The piece functions as a double‑sided screenprint that also incorporates cut‑out elements, inviting the viewer to manipulate its physical presence.
Subject & Meaning
The intersecting shapes and negative spaces generate a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, altering the visual experience as the sheet is turned or tilted. By foregrounding the materiality of paper and the act of viewing, the work suggests a dialogue between presence and absence, encouraging an awareness of how perception shifts with physical interaction.
Technique & Style
Goodyear employed screenprinting on both faces of the paper, then precisely excised the forms with a cutting tool. The use of bright, contrasting pigments emphasizes the graphic quality of the design, while the cut‑outs create a three‑dimensional effect despite the work’s flat substrate. This combination of print and sculptural alteration reflects a hybrid approach typical of mid‑1960s experimental printmaking.
History & Provenance
The piece belongs to a larger portfolio comprising seven screenprints, two lithographs, and an offset lithograph, each designed for potential folding, stacking, or even wearing as a mask. Acquired by the Museum of Modern Art, the work remains in the museum’s print and drawing collection, representing Goodyear’s exploration of interactive print media during that period.
Context
Produced amid the 1960s surge of participatory and process‑oriented art, the work aligns with contemporaneous interests in viewer involvement and the dissolution of boundaries between two‑dimensional and three‑dimensional objects. Its modular, manipulable nature resonates with the era’s broader experiments in kinetic and conceptual practices, situating Goodyear within a network of artists challenging traditional print conventions.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Martin Goodyear was an American professional football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins.
