Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a silver drawing by Alexis Smith. It dates from 1974 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1974, this work by American artist Alexis Smith combines a gelatin‑silver photographic print with collaged elements of gum wrappers and printed paper, all adhered to a paperboard support. The composition resembles an open book or album set against a dark background, inviting close inspection of its layered surfaces.
Subject & Meaning
The left-hand page displays a crumpled blue gum wrapper, its faint markings barely discernible, while the opposite page holds a small yellow label bearing the handwritten phrase, “To choose is better than to refuse.” The juxtaposition of everyday ephemera and personal text suggests a quiet contemplation of decision and everyday choice.
Technique & Style
Smith employs collage techniques, integrating found consumer packaging with a traditional gelatin‑silver print. The tactile contrast between the wrinkled wrapper and the smooth photographic surface highlights her interest in materiality and the visual tension between mass‑produced objects and intimate, hand‑written elements.
History & Provenance
The piece originates from Smith’s early‑mid‑1970s period, a time when she was establishing her reputation for incorporating quotidian objects into installations and drawings. It remains documented as part of her body of work that explores the intersection of personal narrative and discarded commercial materials.
Artist & collection
Artist
Patricia Anne Smith (August 24, 1949 – January 2, 2024), known professionally as Alexis Smith, was an American visual artist. She worked in collage and installation.
