Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite print by John Pearson. It is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1989, this untitled work by John Pearson is a screen‑printed composition supplemented with subtle pencil marks. It resides in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The image is built from large, flat geometric forms arranged in an irregular stack, producing a visually striking yet abstract arrangement.
Subject & Meaning
The piece presents a series of bold shapes—a dense black square, a blue semicircular arc, a red rectangular band, and an elongated gray triangle—that intersect and overlap without representing recognizable objects. The juxtaposition of these elements invites contemplation of spatial relationships and the tension between order and imbalance within an abstract field.
Technique & Style
Pearson employed screenprinting to achieve solid, saturated areas of color, a process that yields slightly softened edges characteristic of the medium. Over the printed layers, delicate pencil lines emerge, adding a hand‑drawn quality that softens the mechanical precision of the print and introduces a nuanced texture to the flat surfaces.
History & Provenance
The work was produced in the late 1980s, a period when Pearson explored the interaction of shape and color through print media. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings, where it remains part of the institution’s representation of contemporary abstract printmaking.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Pearson was a master craftsman of the Newlyn School and Guild of Handicraft. He worked in copper and his style is described as arts and crafts / Modern Style.
