Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a print by Marilyn Minter. It dates from 2007 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 2007, Untitled is a digital print by American artist Marilyn Minter, now part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. The work presents an extreme close‑up of a human face and shoulders, rendered with a glossy, wet surface that catches light and suggests movement. The composition is framed tightly, emphasizing texture and the fleeting quality of the depicted moment.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a partially submerged visage: eyes closed, mouth slightly ajar, as if caught in a breath or a laugh.
The image captures a partially submerged visage: eyes closed, mouth slightly ajar, as if caught in a breath or a laugh. Scattered, jewel‑like colored dots cover the forehead, merging with the slick skin. This juxtaposition of sensual bodily detail and decorative surface invites viewers to consider the boundary between intimate exposure and the aestheticization of the body in contemporary visual culture.
Technique & Style
Minter employs a high‑resolution digital process that mimics the tactile qualities of paint and water. The glossy sheen, dripping droplets, and the seemingly hand‑applied dots are generated through digital manipulation, yet they retain the photorealist precision for which the artist is known. The work blurs the line between photographic realism and painterly effect, reinforcing her interest in the overlap of commercial imagery and fine art.
History & Provenance
After its creation, the print entered MoMA’s collection, where it has been displayed as part of exhibitions exploring contemporary approaches to photography and printmaking. Marilyn Minter, born in 1948, continues to teach in the MFA program at New York’s School of Visual Arts, influencing a new generation of artists while maintaining an active studio practice.
Artist & collection
Artist
Marilyn Minter (born 1948) is an American visual artist who is perhaps best known for her sensual paintings and photographs done in the photorealism style that blurs the line between commercial and fine art.
![Untitled [photograph using a slide projection of dopatta and chilli]., by Zarina Bhimji](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/zarina-bhimji--untitled-photograph-using-a-slide-projection-of-dopatta-and--d03dd096ef04d951-w320.webp)
