Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Norman Lewis. It dates from 1974 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1974, this print is one of seven in a portfolio by Norman Lewis, an African-American artist linked to Abstract Expressionism.
Created in 1974, this print is one of seven in a portfolio by Norman Lewis, an African-American artist linked to Abstract Expressionism. It employs etching, aquatint, and embossing to produce a layered, tactile surface. Unlike his paintings, this work leans fully into abstraction, using ink and pressure to generate texture without figurative reference. The Museum of Modern Art holds this piece as part of its print collection.
Subject & Meaning
Though nonrepresentational, the work channels the energy and tension of urban Black life. Lewis, who often wove social observation into abstraction, used dense, chaotic marks to suggest unrest, movement, or hidden narratives. The absence of clear imagery invites contemplation of experience rather than depiction, aligning with his belief that abstraction could convey the complexity of racial and cultural identity.
Technique & Style
Lewis combined etching’s fine lines with aquatint’s tonal gradients and embossing’s physical relief to create a dynamic surface. The gray background contrasts with dense black marks—some jagged, others swirling—producing visual rhythm without focal points. Embossing raises portions of the paper, making the texture palpable. The result is a tactile abstraction that resists easy reading, emphasizing process and materiality.
History & Provenance
This print was produced in 1974 as part of a limited portfolio, reflecting Lewis’s late-career interest in printmaking. He had long been active in New York’s art scene as a painter and educator, and this series marked a focused exploration of print techniques. The work entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation, affirming its significance within postwar American print culture.
Context
In the 1970s, Lewis continued to navigate the space between abstraction and social commentary, resisting pressure to conform to either purely formalist or overtly political art. His prints from this period emerged alongside broader conversations about race, representation, and the limits of abstraction in Black artistic expression, positioning him as a quiet but vital voice in the era’s visual discourse.
Legacy
Lewis’s prints, including this untitled work, expanded the possibilities of abstraction in American art by integrating material experimentation with cultural resonance. His use of printmaking allowed for intimate, repeatable forms that carried the weight of lived experience. Today, his contributions are recognized as essential to understanding the diversity of Abstract Expressionism beyond its dominant narratives.
Artist & collection
Artist
Norman Wilfred Lewis (July 23, 1909 – August 27, 1979) was an American painter, scholar, and teacher.
