Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a gouache print by Peter Alexander. It dates from 1982 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
This untitled work from 1982 is a lithograph augmented with gouache, pastel, and glitter, produced by American artist Peter Alexander.
This untitled work from 1982 is a lithograph augmented with gouache, pastel, and glitter, produced by American artist Peter Alexander. Though best known for his translucent resin sculptures of the 1960s and 70s, Alexander turned to works on paper in later decades, exploring materiality and luminosity through layered, non-representational compositions. The piece resides in The Museum of Modern Art’s collection as an example of his expanded practice beyond sculpture.
Subject & Meaning
The composition resists figurative interpretation, instead presenting an abstract field of energetic forms. Bold purple strokes intersect a vivid red ground, while green dots and pink masses float amid swirling blues and oranges at the base. Black linear elements suggest sudden motion, but no narrative or recognizable subject is implied. The work prioritizes sensory experience over representation, reflecting Alexander’s interest in perception and atmospheric effect.
Technique & Style
Alexander combined the mechanical precision of lithography with the tactile immediacy of hand-applied media—gouache for opaque color, pastel for soft texture, and glitter for reflective disruption. The layered application creates a dynamic surface where matte and glossy areas interact under changing light. The result is a visually dense, tactile field that emphasizes material contrast and optical vibration over formal harmony.
History & Provenance
Created in 1982, this work emerged during a period when Alexander was increasingly focused on works on paper, shifting from his earlier sculptural investigations. It entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation, reflecting institutional recognition of his evolving practice. The piece remains one of the few major works on paper by Alexander held in a major public collection.
Context
Alexander’s shift to works on paper aligned with broader trends in Southern California art of the 1980s, where artists revisited light and material concerns through more intimate formats. While his resin sculptures had engaged with environmental perception, these prints extended that inquiry into the domestic scale of paper, using glitter and pigment to simulate light’s physical presence without relying on industrial materials.
Legacy
This work exemplifies Alexander’s sustained commitment to material experimentation beyond his most recognized sculptures. It contributes to a lesser-known but significant body of prints that demonstrate how Light and Space concerns could be translated into handheld, non-architectural forms. Its inclusion in MoMA’s collection affirms its role in expanding the boundaries of printmaking within post-minimalist discourse.
Artist & collection
Artist
Peter Alexander (February 27, 1939 – May 26, 2020) was an American artist who was part of the Light and Space artistic movement in southern California in the 1960s. He is notable for his resin sculptures from the 1960s and 1970s.
