Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Larry Rivers. It dates from 1974 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
The piece reflects Rivers’ interest in combining disparate visual languages and materials within a single composition, resisting singular categorization.
Created in 1974, this screenprint is one component of a large, technically varied portfolio by Larry Rivers. It belongs to a group of works that experiment with multiple printmaking methods, including lithography, etching, and unconventional surface treatments like flocking and embossing. The piece reflects Rivers’ interest in combining disparate visual languages and materials within a single composition, resisting singular categorization.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a fragmented arrangement of human faces, everyday objects, and abstract marks. At its center is a large, masked head wearing sunglasses, surrounded by smaller sketches of people, a potted plant, and a streetlamp. The arrangement suggests a personal or spontaneous visual diary, where identity, memory, and environment collide without clear hierarchy. The lack of narrative order invites interpretation rather than explanation.
Technique & Style
Rivers employed screenprinting alongside stencils and flocking to build layered textures, creating a sense of accumulation rather than precision. Outlines in red and blue add structural contrast to the otherwise chaotic composition. The use of varied print processes—some industrial, some hand-applied—emphasizes the physicality of the medium. The result is a dense, tactile surface that feels assembled rather than composed.
History & Provenance
The work entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection as part of a comprehensive portfolio Rivers produced in 1974. The portfolio was notable for its technical diversity, showcasing Rivers’ engagement with printmaking beyond traditional boundaries. Its inclusion in MoMA’s holdings reflects institutional recognition of his role in expanding the possibilities of postwar American print culture.
Context
Emerging from the post-Abstract Expressionist era, Rivers’ work engaged with Pop Art’s interest in popular imagery while retaining a personal, almost autobiographical tone. Unlike many Pop artists, he avoided slickness, favoring raw, layered compositions that echoed the clutter of daily life. This print aligns with broader 1970s trends in which artists explored process, materiality, and the instability of meaning.
Legacy
Rivers’ experimental portfolio, including this screenprint, influenced later generations of printmakers who embraced hybrid techniques and non-hierarchical composition. His willingness to mix high and low methods, and to prioritize process over polish, expanded the definition of what a print could be. The work remains a reference point for artists interested in the intersection of drawing, collage, and mechanical reproduction.
Artist & collection
Artist
Larry Rivers (born Yitzroch Loiza Grossberg; August 17, 1923 – August 14, 2002) was an American painter, musician, filmmaker, and occasional actor.
