Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Les Levine. It dates from 1977 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1977, this untitled work is a black‑and‑white photoetching that forms part of a series of eighteen prints. The image presents a hand‑drawn schematic composed of arrows, circles and marginal notes, resembling a diagram one might find in a training manual. Its stark, graphic quality and unfinished appearance give the piece a documentary feel while retaining an ambiguous, unsettling tone.
Subject & Meaning
The print belongs to a body of work addressing the political conflict known as The Troubles in Northern Ireland.
The print belongs to a body of work addressing the political conflict known as The Troubles in Northern Ireland. By employing a diagrammatic format, the artist suggests the systematic nature of the violence and the ways information is circulated, yet the lack of explicit instruction leaves the viewer uncertain about the intended lesson, prompting reflection on the opacity of propaganda and control.
Technique & Style
Executed as a photoetching, the work combines photographic transfer with traditional intaglio processes. The artist’s hand‑drawn marks are reproduced through the etching plate, preserving the rough, sketch‑like quality of the original drawing. The monochrome palette emphasizes line and form, while the tactile texture of the etched surface reinforces the sense of a provisional, field‑note document.
History & Provenance
The piece entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it is held as part of the institution’s holdings of politically engaged print media. It was produced as one component of Levine’s larger series on The Troubles, a project that documented the conflict through a range of visual strategies during the late 1970s.
Artist & collection
Artist
Les Levine is an Irish-born American artist known as a pioneer of video art and as a conceptual artist working with communication media.
