Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Barry Le Va. It dates from 1985 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1985, this untitled work by Barry Le Va combines synthetic polymer paint, pencil, and collage on a colored paper support.
Created in 1985, this untitled work by Barry Le Va combines synthetic polymer paint, pencil, and collage on a colored paper support. The composition is dominated by a black field intersected by a network of bright yellow lines and shapes, including circles and irregular fragments that appear to have been cut from colored paper and re‑affixed. The piece is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The juxtaposition of stark black with vivid yellow elements generates a tension between void and presence, suggesting an investigation of spatial tension and visual rhythm. The overlapping cut‑out forms and intersecting lines evoke a sense of constructed space, inviting viewers to consider how material fragments can define and disrupt imagined planes.
Technique & Style
Le Va employs a mixed‑media approach: a base of synthetic polymer paint establishes the dark ground, while pencil adds linear detail. Colored paper is precisely cut and adhered, creating layered surfaces where the underlying paper shows through intentional cut‑outs. The work reflects a process‑oriented aesthetic, emphasizing material interaction and the physical act of assembly.
History & Provenance
Barry Le Va, trained in California and later active in New York, emerged from the late‑1960s movement that prioritized abstract, process‑driven practices. This 1985 drawing exemplifies his ongoing exploration of spatial relationships through drawing and collage. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings, where it remains on view as part of the institution’s contemporary art collection.
Context
Positioned within the broader trajectory of post‑studio and process art, the piece aligns with Le Va’s sculptural and installation work that often interrogates the boundaries between two‑dimensional and three‑dimensional space. Its emphasis on materiality and the visible traces of construction reflects the era’s shift toward artworks that foreground their own making.
Artist & collection
Artist
Barry Edward Le Va (December 28, 1941 – January 24, 2021) was an American sculptor and installation artist.
