Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a charcoal drawing by Anselm Kiefer. It dates from 2003 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Its composition features a massive, shadowy visage that dominates a steep, rocky landscape, with diminutive structures and a serpentine road at its base.
Created in 2003, this untitled work by Anselm Kiefer combines synthetic polymer paint, charcoal, and strands of synthetic hair applied to a collage of gelatin‑silver photographs. Classified as a drawing, the piece is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. Its composition features a massive, shadowy visage that dominates a steep, rocky landscape, with diminutive structures and a serpentine road at its base.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a colossal, ambiguous face whose disheveled hair cascades down a cliff, suggesting themes of decay and the passage of time. Below the visage, two modest buildings are linked by a winding path etched into the rock, evoking a sense of isolation and the fragile connection between human habitation and an overwhelming natural or psychological terrain.
Technique & Style
Kiefer constructs the image by adhering torn photographic fragments to the support, then overlaying them with layers of charcoal and synthetic polymer paint. Realistic hair is simulated through glued synthetic fibers, adding a tactile three‑dimensional quality. The palette is dominated by muted grays and blacks, punctuated by faint whites and dark streaks, creating a weathered, almost eroded surface texture.
History & Provenance
The work was produced in 2003 and entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings shortly thereafter, where it remains on view. Its acquisition reflects MoMA’s ongoing commitment to documenting post‑war German artists who engage with materiality and historical memory in their practice.
Context
Kiefer’s untitled piece belongs to a broader body of work that interrogates the remnants of history through mixed media assemblage. By integrating photographic elements with paint and unconventional materials such as synthetic hair, the artist continues his exploration of memory, trauma, and the physicality of the past, resonating with his earlier monumental installations and paintings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Anselm Kiefer is a German painter and sculptor. He studied with Peter Dreher and Horst Antes at the end of the 1960s. His works incorporate materials such as straw, ash, clay, lead, and shellac. The poems of Paul Celan…
