Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink drawing by Alice Attie. It dates from 2013 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 2013, this untitled work by Alice Attie is a drawing composed of cut and pasted paper, printed paper, and ink applied to paper. It is part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The composition is stark, employing a limited palette of black, white and a touch of red, and presents a solitary figure rendered in silhouette.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a hooded figure positioned behind a tall, dark rectangle. The figure’s hands are raised near the face, suggesting a gesture of holding or shielding something small. The simplicity of the silhouette and the limited color scheme invite viewers to contemplate themes of concealment, presence, and the tension between visibility and obscurity.
Technique & Style
Attie assembled the piece by cutting shapes from paper and reassembling them, creating a flat, graphic quality reminiscent of shadow puppetry. Ink outlines define the forms, while a small area of red highlights the hands, breaking the monochrome field. The method emphasizes the materiality of paper and the precision of collage within a drawing context.
History & Provenance
The work was produced in 2013 and subsequently entered the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Its acquisition reflects MoMA’s interest in contemporary practices that blend drawing, collage, and printmaking, and it remains on view as part of the museum’s holdings of early‑21st‑century American art.
Context
Attie’s practice often explores the intersection of drawing and collage, using everyday materials to generate abstracted figurative images. This piece aligns with a broader trend in recent decades where artists employ low‑tech processes to interrogate visual perception, emphasizing the hand‑made quality of the work amid a largely digital art environment.
Artist & collection
