Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a print by David Hammons. It dates from 1987 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1987, this untitled work by David Hammons is a print composed of stenciled images applied to the verso sides of torn, layered billboard fragments. The piece resides in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Its composition juxtaposes vivid, yellow facial silhouettes against a backdrop of crumpled, faded billboard scraps in muted whites, pinks, and blues.
Subject & Meaning
The central motif consists of two bright yellow heads, each rendered with dark hair and moustaches, cut from the paper and placed over the collage background. A strip of green lettering runs along the neckline of one figure, though the text is illegible, inviting speculation about identity, anonymity, and the fragmented nature of public imagery.
Technique & Style
Hammons employs stencil techniques on the reverse (verso) of discarded billboard material, allowing the torn edges and layered textures to remain visible. The contrast between the flat, saturated yellow stencils and the weathered, multicolored billboard surface creates a visual tension that emphasizes both the artificiality of the faces and the decay of commercial media.
History & Provenance
The work was produced in the late 1980s, a period when Hammons frequently incorporated found objects and urban detritus into his practice. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation, reflecting the institution’s interest in contemporary artists who critique consumer culture through unconventional media.
Context
During the 1980s, Hammons explored themes of race, identity, and the commodification of visual culture, often using materials sourced from the streets. This piece aligns with his broader oeuvre that repurposes everyday advertising waste to question the pervasive influence of mass media and the erasure of individual narratives within it.
Artist & collection
Artist
David Hammons is an American artist, best known for his works in and around New York City and Los Angeles during the 1970s and 1980s.
