Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Margo Humphrey. It dates from 1991 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1991, this lithograph by Margo Humphrey integrates copper leaf and collage elements to form a complex portrait.
Created in 1991, this lithograph by Margo Humphrey integrates copper leaf and collage elements to form a complex portrait. The work belongs to a body of prints that blend personal narrative with cultural symbolism. Its layered composition and mixed media reflect Humphrey’s experimental approach to printmaking, expanding the boundaries of traditional lithographic practice through additive materials and textual fragments.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts a Black woman whose face is divided into two distinct representations: one naturalistic, the other abstracted like a ritual mask. This duality suggests an exploration of identity—between inner self and societal perception, or between personal history and cultural archetypes. Surrounding fragments of text, crosses, and sunbursts imply spiritual and emotional undercurrents, weaving faith, memory, and resilience into the visual fabric.
Technique & Style
Humphrey employed lithography as a base, then incorporated copper leaf for luminous highlights and collage elements to introduce texture and layered meaning. The background is densely populated with hand-drawn marks, printed text, and found imagery, creating a visual rhythm that contrasts with the central figure’s stillness. Her style merges expressive line work with symbolic motifs, drawing from both African and diasporic visual traditions.
History & Provenance
The work entered the collection of The Museum of Modern Art following its creation in 1991. It reflects Humphrey’s established reputation in printmaking, shaped by her education at California College of Arts and Crafts and Stanford, as well as her international teaching engagements. Its acquisition by MoMA underscores its significance within late 20th-century American printmaking and its engagement with identity politics.
Context
Humphrey’s work emerged during a period when Black women artists were expanding the language of printmaking to include personal and cultural narratives. Her travels across Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe informed her visual vocabulary, while her teaching roles connected her to global artistic communities. This piece aligns with broader movements seeking to center Black subjectivity through hybrid, non-traditional media.
Legacy
Untitled exemplifies Humphrey’s role in redefining printmaking as a space for layered storytelling. Her integration of collage and metallic materials influenced subsequent generations of artists exploring identity through mixed media. The work remains a reference point for discussions on the intersection of spirituality, gender, and cultural memory in contemporary American art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Margo Humphrey (born June 25, 1942) is an American printmaker, illustrator and art teacher.
