Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Raymond Pettibon in 1996.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Museum of Modern Art.

Untitled by Raymond Pettibon (1996) · Meaning & Museum

About this work

Overview

Created in 1996, this limited‑edition illustrated book consists of ten individual pages, each a screenprint augmented with pencil, ink and pressed‑flower elements. The pages are white, punctuated by stark black and vivid red imagery such as butterflies, hearts and floral motifs, sometimes accompanied by barely legible text. The work belongs to the print collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

Subject & Meaning

The imagery combines familiar symbols, animals, botanical forms and emotive icons, rendered in a graphic, almost diagrammatic style. By juxtaposing these motifs with fragmented text, the artist evokes a tension between visual simplicity and layered cultural references, inviting viewers to consider connections among nature, emotion and visual culture.

Technique & Style

Each page is produced through screenprinting, a process that allows bold, flat areas of color. Over the printed base, the artist adds hand‑drawn pencil lines, ink washes and actual pressed flowers, creating a mixed‑media surface that blurs the boundary between print and collage. The limited palette of black, red and white heightens visual contrast.

History & Provenance

The book was conceived by Raymond Pettibon, an American printmaker who emerged from the early‑1980s Southern California punk scene. Known for designing posters and album covers for SST Records, Pettibon extended his practice to book formats in the mid‑1990s. The Museum of Modern Art acquired the piece for its permanent collection shortly after its creation.

Context

Pettibon’s work frequently draws on American visual culture, literature, philosophy and politics, often filtered through the aesthetic of underground music. This book reflects that interdisciplinary approach, translating the raw energy of punk graphics into a more contemplative, tactile object while retaining the artist’s characteristic use of stark line work and symbolic content.