Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Rachel Harrison in 2008.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Museum of Modern Art.

Artwork

Untitled

Rachel Harrison , 2008

Untitled is an ink print by Rachel Harrison. It dates from 2008 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

About this work

Overview

The work juxtaposes a small, framed photographic image of a person playing a guitar with an exuberant field of abstract color.

Untitled is a 2008 lithograph by contemporary artist Rachel Harrison, in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The work juxtaposes a small, framed photographic image of a person playing a guitar with an exuberant field of abstract color. Bright orange, purple, green and pink pigments appear to overflow and bleed beyond the photograph’s borders, creating a tension between representation and abstraction.

Subject & Meaning

At the center of the composition, a partially obscured figure holds a guitar, rendered from an older portrait that suggests a casual, everyday moment. The surrounding splashes of vivid color disrupt the figure’s presence, implying a visual fragmentation or the intrusion of imagination upon reality. The contrast invites viewers to consider how memory and perception can be altered by chaotic, emotive forces.

Technique & Style

Harrison employs the lithographic process to layer a photographic source with hand‑applied pigment. The lithograph’s surface combines the precise tonal qualities of a printed image with the gestural, painterly application of bright acrylic or ink washes. This hybrid approach blurs the boundaries between printmaking and painting, emphasizing the medium’s capacity for both reproduction and direct, expressive mark‑making.

History & Provenance

Created in 2008, the piece entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its completion, reflecting the institution’s interest in contemporary print practices. Its acquisition underscores MoMA’s commitment to documenting the evolving dialogue between traditional print techniques and experimental, mixed‑media approaches in early‑21st‑century art.