Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Arturo Herrera in 1998.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Museum of Modern Art.

Untitled by Arturo Herrera (1998) — Meaning & Museum

About this work

Overview

Classified as a drawing, the piece measures roughly the size of the envelope and is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection.

Untitled, produced in 1998, is a mixed‑media work by Arturo Herrera that combines cut‑out printed paper adhered to an envelope. Classified as a drawing, the piece measures roughly the size of the envelope and is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. Its composition features a large, blocky figure kneeling over a smaller, simplified form against a backdrop of a yellow sky, a red‑roofed building, and a tennis court with a net.

Subject & Meaning

The dominant figure, whose head is bound with a bandana and whose arms are raised as if bearing weight, dominates the scene, while the subordinate figure appears more elementary in shape. The juxtaposition of the two forms, set within a stylised landscape, suggests a tension between strength and vulnerability, or perhaps a commentary on the layering of everyday visual culture.

Technique & Style

Herrera constructs the image by cutting printed material—likely sourced from advertisements or comic strips—and pasting the fragments onto the envelope surface. The resulting aesthetic is flat and graphic, with rough edges that emphasize the collage process. This method blurs the line between drawing and assemblage, foregrounding the materiality of printed media.

History & Provenance

Created in 1998, Untitled entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains on display. The work reflects Herrera’s ongoing exploration of mixed media during the late 1990s, a period in which he frequently employed everyday printed ephemera to interrogate visual narratives.

Context

During the late 1990s, artists increasingly turned to appropriation and collage to critique mass‑media imagery. Herrera’s use of cut‑and‑pasted paper aligns with this trend, positioning the work within a broader dialogue about the recycling of commercial visual language and its impact on contemporary artistic practice.