Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Josh MacPhee. It dates from 2012 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled is a 2012 screenprint by activist artist Josh MacPhee, included in a series of thirty‑one prints. The work is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection and exemplifies the artist’s engagement with contemporary protest imagery.
Subject & Meaning
The composition juxtaposes a muted, yellow‑toned cityscape with stark red lettering that reads “MONEY TALKS… TOO MUCH” and “OCCUPY!” A red‑outlined police baton, positioned centrally and pointing downward, reinforces a tone of confrontation and warning, suggesting critique of economic power and law‑enforcement authority.
Technique & Style
Executed as a screenprint, the piece relies on layered stencils to achieve the blurred urban background and the crisp, high‑contrast red text and baton. The limited palette of yellow, red, and black heightens visual impact and aligns with the graphic language of protest posters.
History & Provenance
Created in 2012, the print was produced as part of MacPhee’s larger portfolio of thirty‑one screenprints. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its completion, reflecting institutional interest in politically charged contemporary printmaking.
Context
The work emerged amid the Occupy movement and broader debates over financial inequality in the early 2010s. Its visual vocabulary—bold slogans, simplified iconography, and urban backdrop—draws directly from street‑level protest signage of that period.
Legacy
Untitled remains a reference point for discussions of art as activism, illustrating how screenprinting can disseminate urgent political messages within museum contexts while retaining the immediacy of grassroots visual culture.
Artist & collection
