Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Uzo Egonu. It dates from 1980 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1980, this screenprint by Uzo Egonu presents a solitary coffee cup set upon a table within an uncluttered interior. The composition is rendered in flat areas of colour and defined outlines, giving the scene a restrained, tranquil atmosphere. The work exemplifies Egonu’s practice of merging personal observation with broader cultural references.
Subject & Meaning
The lone cup functions as a quiet focal point, its simple form contrasting with the muted surroundings. While the image depicts an everyday object, the isolation of the cup suggests themes of solitude and contemplation, inviting viewers to consider the ordinary as a site of subtle narrative.
Technique & Style
Executed as a screenprint, the piece relies on bold, uniform colour fields and crisp line work characteristic of the medium. Egonu employs a modernist visual language, reducing forms to their essentials while maintaining a clear, graphic quality that aligns with contemporary printmaking trends of the late twentieth century.
History & Provenance
Uzo Egonu, a Nigerian-born artist who relocated to Britain after World War II, produced this work during a period when he was actively engaging with African political and cultural motifs despite limited travel to his homeland. The print reflects his ongoing dialogue between European modernist influences and Igbo cultural heritage.
Context
The piece belongs to a broader movement of artists in the 1970s and 1980s who incorporated African visual elements into modernist frameworks. Egonu’s practice contributed to the emergence of a transnational aesthetic that challenged conventional distinctions between Western and African art traditions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Uzo Egonu (Igbo: Ụzọ Egonu ; 25 December 1931 – 14 August 1996) was a Nigerian-born artist who settled in Britain in the 1940s, only once returning to his homeland for two days in the 1970s, although he remained concerned with African…
