Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a gouache drawing by Antonio Segui. It dates from 1967 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1967, this drawing by Antonio Segui combines gouache, crayon, pastel, and pencil on paper. It is part of the collection at The Museum of Modern Art. The work belongs to a series of figural studies that explore identity and urban alienation through simplified, expressive forms. Its mixed-media approach reflects Segui’s interest in layering visual signals to convey psychological states.
Subject & Meaning
A cross marks one eye, while alphanumeric symbols fragment the other side of the head, suggesting coded identity or systemic labeling.
The figure is a male portrait rendered with minimal detail but intense emotional presence. A cross marks one eye, while alphanumeric symbols fragment the other side of the head, suggesting coded identity or systemic labeling. The clenched jaw and furrowed brow imply inner tension, possibly commenting on dehumanization in modern society. The absence of context isolates the figure, amplifying its symbolic weight.
Technique & Style
Segui employs bold, flat areas of color—green shirt, blue striped tie—against a stark white ground to heighten contrast. Gouache provides opaque saturation, while crayon and pastel add textured, gestural marks around the face. Pencil lines define structure without refinement, favoring immediacy over polish. The geometric simplification of features aligns with a graphic, almost typographic aesthetic.
History & Provenance
The work entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation, reflecting institutional interest in postwar Latin American artists engaging with social themes. It has been exhibited in group shows focusing on figurative drawing and political expression in 1960s art. No private ownership history is publicly documented prior to its acquisition by the museum.
Context
Made during a period of political unrest in Latin America and global social upheaval, the piece resonates with contemporary critiques of bureaucracy and mass communication. Segui’s use of symbols—numbers, letters, crosses—echoes the visual language of signage, ID tags, and propaganda, positioning the individual as both subject and statistic within modern systems.
Legacy
This drawing exemplifies Segui’s distinctive approach to portraiture, blending satire and pathos through visual fragmentation. It influenced later artists exploring identity through graphic distortion and symbolic overload. While not widely reproduced, it remains a key reference in studies of 20th-century Latin American drawing practices and the intersection of art and social commentary.
Artist & collection
Artist
Antonio Hugo Seguí was an Argentine cartoonist, painter, engraver, book illustrator, and sculptor, who lived and worked in Paris.
