Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor print by Tschabalala Self. It dates from 2023 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled, created in 2023 by Tschabalala Self, is a mixed-media collage printed work in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The piece combines screen‑printed, etched, and painted papers that are cut and assembled on both cast and handmade paper, incorporating laser‑engraved elements, watercolor, cast resin, and hand‑sewn thread.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a figure whose head is rendered as a voluminous afro composed of black‑and‑white textured paper, evoking the look of newspaper or book pages. The face is rendered with minimal lines, highlighted by a vivid red lip, while the torso is built from overlapping blocks of bright pink, orange, and red, suggesting a fragmented yet cohesive identity.
Technique & Style
Self employs a layered collage approach, juxtaposing screen‑printed and etched surfaces with hand‑painted papers. The use of laser engraving adds precise linear detail, and the inclusion of cast resin and stitched thread introduces three‑dimensional texture, blurring the boundary between print and sculpture.
History & Provenance
The work was produced as part of a limited edition collage series in 2023 and was subsequently acquired by the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s contemporary print collection.
Context
Self’s practice often explores the representation of Black bodies through a collage of disparate visual sources. Untitled continues this inquiry, employing the physicality of cut‑and‑pasted paper to interrogate notions of visibility, surface, and cultural narrative.
Artist & collection
Artist
Tschabalala Self is an American artist best known for her depictions of Black female figures using paint, fabric, and discarded pieces of her previous works.
