Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Valerio Adami. It dates from 1982 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Created in 1982, this screenprint by Italian artist Valerio Adadi presents a domestic interior rendered in stark, graphic fashion.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1982, this screenprint by Italian artist Valerio Adadi presents a domestic interior rendered in stark, graphic fashion. A man in a brown suit sits on a red couch, cigarette in hand, while a woman reclines on a nearby bed. Above her, a violin and bow are suspended on the wall, and the word “adlibitum” is scrawled across the top of the composition.
Subject & Meaning
The image juxtaposes a formal, seated figure with a relaxed, reclining woman, suggesting a tension between public demeanor and private leisure. The inclusion of musical equipment and the casual placement of a hat imply narrative fragments, leaving the viewer to infer relationships and moods within the simplified setting.
Technique & Style
Adadi employs bold black outlines and flat, saturated color fields that reduce forms to graphic symbols. The screenprint’s clean lines and limited palette echo the visual language of Pop Art and graphic design, emphasizing surface over depth while maintaining a clear, narrative composition.
History & Provenance
Valerio Adadi, born in 1935 and trained at Milan’s Accademia di Brera, produced this work after periods of activity in London and Paris. The print entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of post‑war European prints.
Context
Adadi’s practice in the early 1980s merged his painterly background with printmaking techniques, reflecting broader trends in European art that engaged with popular visual culture. The work’s stylized figures and textual element align with his ongoing exploration of narrative through simplified visual codes.
Artist & collection
Artist
Valerio Adami (born 17 March 1935) is an Italian painter. Educated at the Accademia di Brera in Milan, he has since worked in both London and Paris. His art is influenced by Pop Art.
