Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Kara Walker. It dates from 1999 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1999, this untitled lithograph by Kara Walker employs offset printing to render stark black silhouettes against a light field. The work is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection and exemplifies Walker’s focus on silhouette imagery as a vehicle for exploring complex social themes.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents five figures arranged in a line, some holding objects, one topped with a tall hat, another appearing to dance. Beneath their feet, stylized flames suggest tension, while a diffuse, cloud‑filled sky hovers above, inviting contemplation of power dynamics and historical narratives.
Technique & Style
Walker’s process involved cutting the silhouette shapes and reproducing them in black and white through lithography, a method that emphasizes contrast and flatness. The resulting image resembles a shadow play, reinforcing the work’s theatrical and narrative qualities.
History & Provenance
The print entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings shortly after its creation, joining a broader acquisition of Walker’s prints that document her early engagement with the medium. It reflects a period when the artist was gaining recognition, including a 1997 MacArthur Fellowship.
Context
Walker’s practice is noted for large‑scale installations of black cut‑paper silhouettes that interrogate romanticized visions of the antebellum South. This lithograph translates that visual language into a smaller, reproducible format, extending her critique of race, gender, and identity into the realm of print.
Artist & collection
Artist
Kara Elizabeth Walker (born November 26, 1969) is an American contemporary painter, silhouettist, printmaker, sculptor, installation artist, filmmaker, and university professor, who explores race, gender, sexuality, violence, and identity…
