Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Miriam Schapiro. It dates from 2009 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
The piece is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection and exemplifies Schapiro’s late‑career interest in hybrid print processes.
Untitled, produced in 2009 by Miriam Schapiro, is a mixed-media print that combines a digital image with a lithographic layer. It belongs to a larger portfolio of nineteen works, most of which pair digital prints with additional techniques such as lithography, pochoir, hand‑coloring, or gold dusting. The piece is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection and exemplifies Schapiro’s late‑career interest in hybrid print processes.
Subject & Meaning
At the centre of the composition stands a solitary female figure whose garment is covered in exuberant, irregular patterns. She holds an object resembling a shield, while a group of diminutive, doll‑like figures in plain attire line the periphery. The surrounding field is filled with floating star motifs, a bright yellow ground, and a red, woven‑appearing border, suggesting a playful, almost theatrical narrative that juxtaposes individuality with communal conformity.
Technique & Style
The work merges a digitally produced image with a traditional lithographic overlay, creating a layered surface that mimics collage. The star field appears as if it were scattered onto the paper, and the peripheral figures seem to have been cut and pasted, reinforcing the assemblage quality. Schapiro’s use of vivid, saturated hues and irregular geometric forms reflects her ongoing exploration of pattern, texture, and the intersection of hand‑made and mechanical processes.
History & Provenance
Created in 2009, Untitled entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its completion, becoming part of the institution’s holdings of late‑20th‑century American printmaking. The piece is one of a limited series that includes twelve digital‑print/lithograph combinations, a single pochoir work, a hand‑colored piece, and a gold‑dusted print, each reflecting the artist’s experimental approach to mixed media.
Context
Schapiro, a pivotal figure in the feminist art movement, often incorporated domestic motifs and decorative patterns into her work. Untitled continues this trajectory, employing traditionally feminine decorative language within a contemporary print format. The inclusion of collage‑like elements and the juxtaposition of a central, patterned figure with anonymous, uniform companions echo her broader concerns with identity, representation, and the visual language of craft.
Artist & collection
Artist
Miriam "Mimi" Schapiro was a Canadian-born artist based in the United States. She was a painter, sculptor, printmaker, and a pioneer of feminist art. She was also considered a leader of the Pattern and Decoration art…
