Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Roger Brown. It dates from 1991 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1991, this lithograph by Roger Brown belongs to the visual language of the Chicago Imagists, a collective noted for its figurative focus and incisive social commentary. The work exemplifies Brown’s habit of merging personal iconography with broader cultural critique, employing vivid imagery to explore themes that recur throughout his oeuvre.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a sharply rendered portrait of a man wearing a cowboy hat, a suit jacket, and a tie accented with a yellow flower pin. A black-letter banner above his head reads “HANK WILLIAMS,” while a small yellow circle in the lower corner labels him “HONKY TONK MAN.” The juxtaposition of formal attire with a country‑music persona suggests a commentary on identity and popular culture.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the print relies on the contrast between dark, cloud‑streaked sky and bright, saturated colors that make the figure pop. Brown’s line work is clean and decisive, giving the composition a cartoon‑like immediacy while retaining a degree of realism. The medium allows for the flat, graphic quality characteristic of his practice.
History & Provenance
The lithograph emerged during a period when Brown was actively engaging with political, religious, and art‑world subjects in his work. While specific exhibition history is limited, the piece reflects his continued participation in the Chicago Imagist network and has been included in several surveys of his print output.
Context
Brown’s practice unfolded amid the post‑1960s Chicago art scene, where artists sought to challenge prevailing modernist narratives through figurative, often satirical imagery. This work aligns with that tradition, using a recognizable archetype, a cowboy‑styled singer, to probe the intersections of regional identity, commercial culture, and personal mythmaking.
Artist & collection
Artist
Roger Brown (December 10, 1941 – November 22, 1997) was an American artist and painter.
