Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a print by Clarissa Sligh. It dates from 1988 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled is a 1988 van Dyke brown print on four sheets by Clarissa Sligh, comprising a black background with white text and a central photographic image.
Subject & Meaning
The work features a child's game of tag, with names such as Jane, Dick, and Spot, and a small inset photograph of three individuals. The text is presented in a typewritten style, while the identities of the people in the photograph remain unclear.
Technique & Style
The artist achieved the work's visual effect by using brown ink on black paper, creating a contrast that makes the text stand out. The text's appearance mimics typewritten letters, but with a handwritten aesthetic.
History & Provenance
Clarissa Sligh created Untitled in 1988, a year in which she co-founded Coast-to-Coast, a project promoting artists of color. The work is now part of The Museum of Modern Art's collection.
Context
Sligh's personal history informs the work; at 15, she was the lead plaintiff in a Virginia school desegregation case, an experience that may have influenced her artistic practice and commitment to promoting diverse voices.
Artist & collection
Artist
Clarissa T. Sligh (born 1939) is an African-American book artist and photographer based in Asheville, North Carolina. At age 15, she was the lead plaintiff in a school desegregation case in Virginia. In 1988, she became…
