Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Pol Bury. It dates from 1976 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1976, this untitled woodcut resides in the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. Executed in black ink on paper, the composition features a solitary yellow circle anchored at the lower edge, surrounded by a cluster of yellow triangles that radiate outward in a circular arrangement, some partially overlapping.
Subject & Meaning
The work relies on elementary geometric forms—circle and triangles—to generate a balanced visual field. The stark contrast between the dark background and the limited bright hue emphasizes spatial relationships, inviting contemplation of order and harmony within an abstract language.
Technique & Style
Printed from a carved wood block, the piece exemplifies a minimalist approach to color and shape. The crisp edges of the cut shapes and the uniform black ground reflect a controlled hand, while the repetition of triangles suggests a systematic, almost kinetic quality typical of Bury’s graphic output.
History & Provenance
Pol Bury, born in Belgium in 1922, began his career as a painter linked to the Jeune Peintre Belge and the avant‑garde COBRA movement. By the mid‑1970s he had turned to printmaking, producing this woodcut, which entered MoMA’s holdings shortly after its creation.
Context
The print emerges from a period when Bury was transitioning from painterly experiments toward the sculptural investigations that would later define his reputation, such as the kinetic fountain works exemplified by L’Octagon in San Francisco.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pol Bury (26 April 1922 – 28 September 2005) was a Belgian sculptor who began his artistic career as a painter in the Jeune Peintre Belge and COBRA groups.
