Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Tauba Auerbach. It dates from 2010 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
This particular work presents three vertical zigzagging lines on a white ground, emphasizing minimalism and mechanical precision.
Created in 2010, *Untitled* is one of eighteen double-sided screenprints in a portfolio by Tauba Auerbach. Each print in the series explores variations of line and structure through precise, repetitive forms. This particular work presents three vertical zigzagging lines on a white ground, emphasizing minimalism and mechanical precision. The print was produced using screenprinting, a method that allows for sharp, uniform edges and layered repetition, aligning with Auerbach’s broader interest in systems and material logic.
Subject & Meaning
The work’s subject is abstract: three non-linear vertical lines disrupt the expectation of straightness, introducing subtle tension between order and deviation. The zigzags suggest a controlled instability, as if the lines are caught between alignment and collapse. No symbolic reference is implied; instead, the piece invites attention to the behavior of form itself—how a simple gesture, repeated and refined, can generate visual rhythm and quiet dissonance.
Technique & Style
Screenprinting enabled Auerbach to achieve crisp, unvarying lines with consistent ink density, reinforcing the work’s geometric clarity. The black ink sits flat against the unmodulated white paper, eliminating texture or gradation. The zigzag pattern, though hand-drawn in concept, appears machine-accurate, blurring the line between human intention and automated reproduction. This precision reflects Auerbach’s engagement with mathematical structures and the material constraints of printmaking.
History & Provenance
The portfolio was produced in 2010 as a limited edition, with each print numbered and signed. *Untitled* has been held in institutional collections, including The Museum of Modern Art, New York, where it is part of a broader survey of contemporary print practices. Its inclusion in such collections underscores its role in documenting the evolution of conceptual printmaking in the early 21st century, particularly within the context of artists interrogating form through industrial processes.
Context
Auerbach’s work emerged alongside a generation of artists re-examining abstraction through systems-based approaches. In the late 2000s, printmaking experienced a resurgence as a medium for exploring structure, repetition, and materiality beyond traditional painting. *Untitled* aligns with this trend, engaging with the legacy of minimalism and Op Art while avoiding their emotional or optical effects, instead focusing on the physical logic of the line.
Legacy
The portfolio has contributed to ongoing discussions about the role of printmaking in contemporary art, particularly its capacity to articulate conceptual ideas with material restraint. *Untitled* exemplifies how simple visual elements, when rigorously repeated and precisely rendered, can generate complex perceptual experiences. Its presence in major collections continues to influence younger artists exploring the intersection of craft, geometry, and process.
Artist & collection
Artist
Tauba Auerbach (born 1981) is a visual artist working in many disciplines including painting, artists' books, sculpture, and weaving who lives and works in New York.
