Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an oil drawing by Josip Vaništa. It dates from 1962 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled, created in 1962 by Josip Vaništa, is an oil on gelatin silver print classified as a drawing. The work is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it is displayed among other mid‑century experimental pieces.
Subject & Meaning
The monochrome image depicts three figures in dark clothing standing before a plain white wall. Two framed works are mounted on the wall; the left frame contains a minimal geometric shape, while the right frame appears almost empty, save for a faint mark. One of the women reaches upward, suggesting an act of adjustment or interaction with the surrounding space.
Technique & Style
Vaništa employed a hybrid process that merges photography and painting. He used a gelatin silver photograph as the base and applied oil paint directly onto the printed surface, creating a layered effect where the painted elements coexist with the photographic texture. This approach blurs the boundary between image and object.
History & Provenance
The work was produced during a period when Vaništa explored the intersection of visual art and conceptual inquiry. After its creation, Untitled entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it has remained, contributing to the institution’s representation of avant‑garde practices of the early 1960s.
Context
In the early 1960s, artists in Yugoslavia and elsewhere were experimenting with mixed media, often questioning the nature of representation. Vaništa’s use of photographic material as a painting substrate reflects broader concerns about the role of technology and the dematerialization of the art object.
Artist & collection
