“Study for Omphalos” was created using photocopier toner on paper, following on from Whitten’s 1974 residency at the Xerox corporation, which gave him access to the then-new technology required for xerography printing. After the residency, Whitten experimented with a range of drawings made with toner, of which this work is an example, illustrative of Whitten’s broader exploration of abstraction and the use of new technologies in artmaking. The piece, along with other works from this period, demonstrates Whitten’s interest in exploring the properties of materials and developing innovative techniques, such as his “developer” tool for moving large amounts of paint.
Another work from this series (#2, in the collection of the Walker Art Center) was included in the retrospective Jack Whitten: The Messenger (MoMA, 3.23.25-8.2.25)
