Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an acrylic painting by the Contemporary Realist artist Joey Terrill. It dates from 1981 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1981, this three‑panel work by Joey Terrill combines acrylic and metallic paint on canvas. It is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The piece is untitled, allowing viewers to focus on its visual narrative rather than a prescribed theme.
Subject & Meaning
The central panel depicts a man in a yellow shirt reading a newspaper announcing John Lennon’s death, while the left panel shows a clerk in a white shirt and blue jeans behind a counter marked “BENT.” The rightmost panel presents a crowd gathered before a tall building crowned with a spiral, suggesting a moment of public attention or anticipation.
Technique & Style
Terrill employs vivid, flat colors and simplified geometric forms across the three canvases. The use of metallic paint adds a reflective quality that heightens the contrast between foreground figures and background architecture, reinforcing a graphic, almost cinematic feel.
History & Provenance
The work was produced during the early 1980s, a period marked by rapid cultural shifts in Los Angeles, where Terrill was active. It entered MoMA’s collection shortly after its creation, reflecting the institution’s interest in contemporary American painting of that era.
Context
The inclusion of a newspaper headline about John Lennon situates the scene within a specific historical moment, while the “BENT” sign and the spiral‑topped building evoke everyday commercial and urban environments of the time. These elements together capture a slice of early‑80s American life.
Artist & collection
Artist
Joey Terrill is an American Chicano queer visual artist. He works in the mediums of painting, collage, drawing, and photography. His work often pays tribute to gay visual artist, and features Chicano themes. Terrill…
