Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Colin Self. It dates from 1964 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1964, this drawing by Colin Self is executed in colored pencil and pencil on board. It resides in the collection of The Museum of Modern Art. The work presents a solitary, aged sofa rendered with quiet precision, its form isolated against a neutral white surface. The absence of context or figures directs focus entirely to the object’s physical presence and material history.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is a single, worn couch, its faded red stains and tufted upholstery suggesting years of use. The absence of human figures or setting invites contemplation of absence and memory. The couch becomes a silent witness, its deterioration hinting at private lives and time’s quiet erosion, without narrative or sentimentality.
Technique & Style
Self employed colored pencil with subtle layering to model form and texture. Shadows are built through delicate hatching, while the red marks on the fabric are applied with restrained intensity, contrasting against the dark upholstery. The rendering is observational, avoiding exaggeration; detail emerges through precision, not drama.
History & Provenance
The work was completed in 1964 and entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection thereafter. No public record of prior ownership or exhibition history is widely documented. Its inclusion in the museum’s holdings reflects an interest in understated, materially attentive drawings from the mid-20th century.
Context
Made during a period when many artists explored abstraction or conceptualism, Self’s focus on an ordinary domestic object aligns with a quieter current in postwar drawing. His attention to worn surfaces and quiet detail echoes a broader interest in the poetry of the mundane, distinct from the dominant trends of the time.
Legacy
The drawing contributes to a lineage of works that elevate the ordinary through close observation. While not widely reproduced, it remains a quiet example of how drawing can convey presence and passage of time without symbolic overload. Its endurance in MoMA’s collection underscores its role in expanding the definition of drawing as a medium of contemplation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Colin E Self is an English Pop Artist whose work has addressed the theme of Cold War politics.
