Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Roger Welch. It dates from 1981 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1981, *Untitled* is a print that combines screenprinting and lithography. The work belongs to the collection of the Museum of Modern Art and exemplifies the artist’s interest in the interplay of perception and media. Its visual structure presents a duplicated interior scene, inviting viewers to consider the relationship between representation and reality.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts two nearly identical settings: a woman reclines on a couch within a dimly lit pink room, while a man positions a camera on a tripod.
The image depicts two nearly identical settings: a woman reclines on a couch within a dimly lit pink room, while a man positions a camera on a tripod. Harsh illumination from studio lights casts stark shadows, and a partially visible figure in white trousers and a dark jacket holds a tool nearby. The repetition and staged composition suggest a commentary on observation and the mediated nature of images.
Technique & Style
Welch merges screenprint’s bold, graphic outlines with the tonal subtlety of lithography, producing a layered surface where the vivid pink background contrasts sharply with black line work. This hybrid approach allows for precise delineation of forms while preserving the fluidity of printed tones, resulting in a crisp, almost diagrammatic aesthetic that underscores the work’s conceptual concerns.
History & Provenance
Since its creation, the print has remained in the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings, reflecting the institution’s commitment to documenting experimental print practices of the early 1980s. Its acquisition aligns with the museum’s broader effort to represent artists who interrogate media processes and the visual culture of the period.
Context
Roger Welch’s practice spans conceptual installations, video, and printmaking, often probing how media constructs experience. *Untitled* emerges from a period when artists increasingly employed mixed print techniques to explore themes of duplication, surveillance, and the viewer’s role. The work thus situates itself within a larger discourse on the boundaries between the photographed moment and its reproduced form.
Artist & collection
Artist
William Roger Welch (February 10, 1946 - December 29, 2022) was an American conceptual artist, installation artist and video artist.
