Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Jane Dickson. It dates from 1986 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1986, Untitled is a black-and-white carborundum etching by Jane Dickson. The work is part of The Museum of Modern Art’s collection and exemplifies Dickson’s interest in urban imagery and mechanical mark-making. Its stark tonal contrasts and abstracted forms reflect a departure from traditional etching techniques, favoring texture and gesture over detail.
Subject & Meaning
The animals appear as silhouette-like shapes, devoid of facial or anatomical detail, suggesting movement or memory rather than literal representation.
The print depicts a cluster of simplified horse forms beneath a dense network of radiating lines. The animals appear as silhouette-like shapes, devoid of facial or anatomical detail, suggesting movement or memory rather than literal representation. The vertical structure to the right, with a circular opening, introduces an architectural element that may imply enclosure or observation, reinforcing a sense of tension between organic and constructed space.
Technique & Style
Dickson employed carborundum, an abrasive material, to build texture directly onto the plate, creating a gritty, scratchy surface. This method allowed for bold, irregular lines and deep blacks, producing a graphic, almost industrial aesthetic. The radiating lines above the horses mimic mechanical or electric energy, enhancing the flat, two-dimensional composition and emphasizing the print’s emphasis on surface over depth.
History & Provenance
The work was made in 1986 and entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly thereafter. It belongs to a series of prints from the mid-1980s in which Dickson explored themes of urban isolation and mechanical reproduction. Its acquisition by MoMA reflects institutional recognition of her contribution to printmaking’s evolution during a period of experimental media use.
Context
In the 1980s, Dickson was part of a New York art scene redefining printmaking through non-traditional materials and urban subject matter. Her use of carborundum aligned with broader trends toward tactile, process-driven imagery, contrasting with the slickness of contemporary digital and commercial aesthetics. This work responds to the city’s rhythms, translating kinetic energy into static, layered marks.
Legacy
Untitled exemplifies Dickson’s role in expanding the possibilities of etching beyond conventional line work. By embracing abrasion and texture, she influenced later printmakers to treat the plate as a site of physical intervention. The work remains a reference point for discussions on materiality, abstraction, and the representation of motion in post-industrial print practices.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jane Dickson is an American painter who lives and works in New York City. Her practice explores the psychogeography of American culture and was "forged in the crucible of New York’s late-seventies counterculture, where…
