Untitled
- Artist: Samuel Fosso
- Date: 1978
- Medium: Photograph, gelatin silver print on paper
- Dimensions: image: 151 x 150 mm
- Museum: Tate Modern
- Collection record: Tate Modern website
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About this artwork
This is the “Untitled” by Samuel Fosso. Created in 1978, it’s a gelatin‑silver print—a classic black‑and‑white photographic medium that gives the image a timeless, documentary feel. The picture captures a young man, likely the artist himself, positioned on a simple bench in a modest studio. He wears a plain shirt and trousers, a single boot, and a subtle, focused expression that hints at introspection. The background is rendered in muted tones, with a curtain or draped fabric adding a sense of privacy and stillness.
Fosso’s work often explores cultural identity, life in Nigeria, and everyday moments, and this self‑portrait is no exception. The composition feels intimate, inviting viewers to consider the quiet dignity of ordinary life and the power of portraiture to reveal personality beneath the surface. The choice of gelatin silver adds depth and contrast, emphasizing the subject’s features and the texture of the surroundings. This piece showcases Fosso’s skill in blending technical mastery with a deeply human narrative.
See it in person
Untitled is in the collection of Tate Modern on Bankside, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
