Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a crayon drawing by Carolee Schneemann. It dates from 1974 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1974, this installation by Carolee Schneemann merges drawing, sculpture, and moving image. The work consists of a large cream‑colored paper surface covered in multicolored crayon marks, a suspended rope with a harness, a Super‑8 projector, a 29‑minute color video with sound, and six video monitors arranged in two groups of three.
Subject & Meaning
The piece foregrounds the body as a site of visual and tactile investigation, presenting a figure whose arms are raised and whose torso and legs are shown on the monitors. By combining bodily gestures with abstract crayon gestures, Schneemann interrogates notions of sexuality, gendered representation, and the physical presence of the self.
Technique & Style
Schneemann employs a hybrid approach: hand‑drawn crayon lines on paper are juxtaposed with three‑dimensional rope and harness elements, while the video component—projected and displayed on multiple monitors—adds color, motion, and sound. The curved, folded edges of the paper backdrop create a sculptural plane that interacts with the surrounding equipment.
History & Provenance
The work emerged during Schneemann’s shift from Abstract Expressionist painting toward performance‑based, feminist‑focused practices. It was first exhibited in the mid‑1970s as part of her investigations into bodily experience and narrative presence, reflecting her broader engagement with experimental media.
Context
Situated within the 1970s feminist art movement, the installation aligns with contemporaneous efforts to challenge visual conventions and to incorporate the artist’s own body into the work. Schneemann’s use of video and mixed media anticipates later developments in installation and performance art that foreground embodied experience.
Artist & collection
Artist
Carolee Schneemann (October 12, 1939 – March 6, 2019) was an American visual experimental artist, known for her multi-media works on the body, narrative, sexuality and gender.
