Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Kerry James Marshall. It dates from 2021 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Created in 2021, this mixed-media print combines screenprinting, woodcut and linocut processes.
About this work
Overview
Created in 2021, this mixed-media print combines screenprinting, woodcut and linocut processes. The composition is rendered primarily in black and white with selective color highlights, set against a light beige ground. A loosely defined human silhouette occupies the centre, flanked by everyday objects—a corded phone and a playing‑card—each attached to thin lines that suggest connectivity.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, though abstracted, evokes a presence within a network of objects that hint at communication and chance. The inclusion of a phone and a card, both tethered by cords, may allude to themes of technology, interaction, and the randomness of daily life, inviting viewers to consider how personal identity is mediated through material culture.
Technique & Style
Marshall employs a hybrid printmaking approach: screenprint layers provide flat tonal fields, while woodcut and linocut contribute textured, gestural marks. This combination yields a contrast between crisp, graphic edges and the softer, grainy qualities of relief cuts, reinforcing the work’s tension between precision and spontaneity.
History & Provenance
The piece belongs to the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it was acquired shortly after its creation. It forms part of Kerry James Marshall’s recent output, reflecting his continued exploration of print media alongside his well‑known painting practice.
Context
Marshall, born in 1955, has built a career centered on representations of Black experience, often drawing on his Chicago roots. Though primarily a painter, his forays into printmaking expand his visual vocabulary, allowing him to experiment with layered processes and reproducibility while maintaining his thematic concerns.
Artist & collection
Artist
Kerry James Marshall (born October 17, 1955) is an American artist and professor, known for his paintings of Black figures.
