Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Peter Shelton. It dates from 1994 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1994, this untitled portfolio comprises eighteen prints that combine etching, aquatint, and chine collé on a textured paper surface. The series presents a range of loosely drawn figures, undulating forms and fragmented lines that hover between abstraction and representation, inviting viewers to navigate a visual field that feels both architectural and anatomical.
Subject & Meaning
The images juxtapose a crouched, human-like silhouette with fluid, fish‑like shapes and a thin, horizon‑suggesting line, suggesting a dialogue between the body and its environment. By interweaving figurative gestures with abstract motifs, the work explores notions of presence, containment, and the tension between organic and constructed spaces.
Technique & Style
Shelton employs traditional intaglio methods, using etched lines for precision and aquatint washes for tonal depth, while chine collé introduces a thin, adhered paper layer that adds grain and subtle color variation. The resulting surface balances fine, controlled marks with rough, scribble‑like textures, emphasizing the materiality of the printmaking process.
History & Provenance
The portfolio emerged during a prolific phase in Shelton’s career, coinciding with a solo exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1994. Though primarily known for sculpture, this series marks a deliberate foray into print media, reflecting his broader interest in expanding sculptural concepts onto two‑dimensional surfaces.
Artist & collection
Artist
Peter Shelton is a contemporary American sculptor born in 1951 in Troy, Ohio. Shelton works in both large and small scale, in various metals (steel, iron, lead, bronze), glass, cement, water, paint and a variety of the…
