Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Lindsay Starbuck in 2012.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Museum of Modern Art.

Untitled by Lindsay Starbuck (2012) · Meaning & Museum

About this work

Overview

Created in 2012, this screenprint is one of thirty-one works in a portfolio by Lindsay Starbuck. It is part of the collection at The Museum of Modern Art. The image combines graphic simplicity with pointed textual commentary, using bold contrasts and stylized forms to convey its message. The work belongs to a series that engages with moral and social themes through visual satire.

Subject & Meaning

The contrast critiques contemporary materialism by invoking historical moral authority, framing greed as both timeless and urgently in need of reckoning.

A robed figure, reminiscent of medieval monks, holds an open book inscribed with the biblical phrase 'The love of money is the root of all evil.' Below, a colloquial declaration, 'Let’s get Medieval on greed’s ass', juxtaposes sacred language with modern vernacular. The contrast critiques contemporary materialism by invoking historical moral authority, framing greed as both timeless and urgently in need of reckoning.

Technique & Style

The print employs flat, unmodulated colors and thick, black outlines to define forms, evoking the aesthetic of woodcut illustrations or comic art. Text is rendered in bold red, contrasting sharply with the pale background. The figure’s robe is simplified into geometric planes, and the speech bubble is rendered with clean, graphic precision, reinforcing the work’s deliberate, stylized tone.

History & Provenance

This print was produced in 2012 as part of a limited portfolio of thirty-one screenprints by Lindsay Starbuck. It entered the collection of The Museum of Modern Art shortly after its creation, acquired as an example of contemporary printmaking that engages with cultural critique through accessible visual language. Its inclusion reflects the museum’s interest in works that bridge historical references and modern social commentary.

Context

Starbuck’s work emerges from a tradition of politically engaged graphic art, drawing from religious iconography, protest signage, and underground comics. The piece responds to post-2008 financial crisis anxieties about wealth inequality and moral decay. By merging medieval visual motifs with street-level language, it situates ethical debate within a framework both familiar and deliberately anachronistic.

Legacy

The print contributes to a broader dialogue in contemporary art about the use of text and historical imagery to challenge economic norms. Its directness and visual clarity have made it a reference point in discussions of activist printmaking. While not widely reproduced, its presence in MoMA’s collection ensures its continued visibility within institutional narratives of 21st-century social critique.