Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Sean Mellyn. It dates from 1997 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled, a 1997 print by Sean Mellyn, belongs to a five‑piece series that experiments with aquatint, photoetching, woodcut and related processes. The work is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection and exemplifies the artist’s interest in combining multiple printmaking techniques within a single image.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a solitary head rising from a body of water, its face inverted and eyes fixed on the viewer. Rendered in muted grays against a vivid yellow field, the image creates a disquieting, surreal encounter that invites contemplation of perception and the uncanny.
Technique & Style
Mellyn employs aquatint to achieve tonal depth, while photoetching supplies fine detail in the facial features. A woodcut element contributes linear contrast, and the combination of these methods yields a richly textured surface where smooth gradients meet crisp, etched lines.
History & Provenance
Created in 1997, the print entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings shortly after its completion, joining a portfolio that includes works with embossing, photogravure, etching, screenprint and collage. The series reflects a period of intensive technical exploration for the artist.
Context
The piece emerges from a broader late‑1990s trend in printmaking that embraced hybrid processes, blurring the boundaries between traditional intaglio and photographic techniques. Mellyn’s work aligns with contemporaneous investigations into the materiality of the printed image.
Artist & collection
