Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Emma Amos, Benny Andrews, Vivian Browne, Eldzier Cortor, Norman Lewis, Vincent Smith, John Wilson Various Artists. It dates from 1974 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
You see seven black-and-white prints in a row—each one different, but all made by the same seven artists working together.
You see seven black-and-white prints in a row—each one different, but all made by the same seven artists working together. Faces, hands, and bodies twist and stretch across the paper in sharp lines and soft shadows.
This was a rare moment: seven Black artists joined forces in 1973 to publish a shared portfolio. They didn’t sign each print, so you can’t tell who did which one. The group wanted the work to stand on its own, not on names.
To see more prints made this way, look up the technique aquatint.
Overview
Untitled is a portfolio of seven etchings created collaboratively by seven Black artists in 1974. The work is part of The Museum of Modern Art's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The portfolio comprises seven distinct black-and-white prints featuring twisted and stretched human forms rendered in sharp lines and soft shadows. By not signing individual prints, the artists emphasized the collective nature of the work.
Technique & Style
The etchings employ various techniques, including aquatint and embossing. Five of the prints incorporate aquatint, a method that allows for subtle tonal variations, while two feature embossing, which adds texture to the images.
History & Provenance
In 1973, the seven artists—Emma Amos, Benny Andrews, Vivian Browne, Eldzier Cortor, Norman Lewis, Vincent Smith, and John Wilson—came together to create and publish this joint portfolio, a rare instance of collaborative printmaking by Black artists.
Artist & collection
Artist
Various Artists, Emma Amos, Benny Andrews, Vivian Browne, Eldzier Cortor, Norman Lewis, Vincent Smith, John Wilson (1937–2020) was an American artist.
