Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Rochelle Feinstein. It dates from 1980 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1980, this untitled woodcut by Rochelle Feinstein presents a densely composed interior scene rendered in vivid, contrasting hues.
Created in 1980, this untitled woodcut by Rochelle Feinstein presents a densely composed interior scene rendered in vivid, contrasting hues. The image depicts a disordered bedroom: a bed with half‑tucked sheets, a floor of irregularly patterned tiles, a red numeral “10” on the wall, and a yellow banana draped across the bedding. Scribbled markings cover the walls, contributing to a sense of hurried assemblage.
Subject & Meaning
The work juxtaposes everyday objects and textual elements, inviting viewers to consider the relationship between visual space and language. By placing a numeral and a banana amid a chaotic setting, Feinstein foregrounds the instability of meaning in contemporary culture, suggesting that ordinary environments can become sites of visual and linguistic tension.
Technique & Style
Feinstein employed traditional woodcut methods, carving the composition into wooden blocks before printing. This process yields crisp, repeated lines and bold color blocks, emphasizing the graphic quality of the image. The stark contrasts and flat planes reflect her broader interest in abstracted representation and the interplay of image and text.
History & Provenance
The print entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of late‑20th‑century American prints. Feinstein, born in 1947 in the Bronx, produced the work during a period of intensive experimentation with print media that paralleled her expanding practice across painting, video, and installation.
Context
At the time of its creation, Feinstein was an active faculty member at Yale School of Art, teaching painting and printmaking. Her academic role and involvement in graduate studies informed her investigative approach to medium, aligning the woodcut with contemporary dialogues about the convergence of visual art and textual discourse in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Artist & collection
Artist
Rochelle Feinstein (born 1947, Bronx, NY) is a contemporary American visual artist who makes abstract paintings, prints, video, sculpture, and installations that explore language and contemporary culture.
