Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Richard Long. It dates from 1976 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Richard Long’s 1976 lithograph, titled Untitled, translates his land‑based practice into a printed format. The image presents an expansive, barren terrain where cracked earth extends toward a distant, low hill beneath a muted sky, evoking the quiet of an open landscape.
Subject & Meaning
The work records a 74‑mile walk undertaken by Long in County Clare, Ireland, during which he moved stones one step at a time. The title elements Roisin Dubh and A Slow Air reference Irish cultural motifs, underscoring the piece’s connection to place and the gradual, physical act of walking.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the piece employs the medium’s capacity for fine tonal variation to render the subtle textures of cracked ground and distant rock. Long’s minimalist approach reduces the scene to essential lines and planes, emphasizing the trace of movement rather than detailed representation.
History & Provenance
Created while Long was developing his reputation as a leading figure in land art, the print predates his multiple Turner Prize nominations and his 1989 win. It reflects the period when he was consolidating his practice of translating walks and natural interventions into various media.
Context
Long’s work emerged from the 1970s British art scene, where artists were exploring process‑based and environmental concepts. His education at Saint Martin’s School of Art and subsequent involvement in land art positioned him among peers who foregrounded the artist’s bodily engagement with the landscape.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sir Richard Julian Long (born 2 June 1945) is an English sculptor, painter, photographer, and one of the best-known British land artists.
