Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Xu Bing. It dates from 1988 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1988, this untitled work is an abstract woodcut by Chinese artist Xu Bing. It belongs to a series of ten prints that explore dense, imagined landscapes. The piece is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it is displayed on light paper with a uniform black ink application.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a bustling scene that suggests a natural environment intersected by human structures. Stylized trees and grass emerge from intricate lines and dots, while a river teems with diminutive fish. Buildings appear as interlaced patterns, evoking a sense of woven architecture within the imagined terrain.
Technique & Style
Xu Bing employed traditional woodcut methods, carving the design into a wooden block and then inking the recessed areas. The ink was rolled onto the surface and transferred to paper, producing the dense network of lines, stipples, and textures that define the print’s visual density and abstract quality.
History & Provenance
The work was produced as part of a ten‑piece series that marked Xu Bing’s early experimentation with printmaking. After its creation, the print entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains a representative example of late‑1980s experimental woodcut practice.
Artist & collection
Artist
Xu Bing is a Chinese artist who served as vice-president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.
