Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Elizabeth Simonson. It dates from 2001 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 2001 by Elizabeth Simonson, this drawing—titled Untitled—is executed with ink, colored ink, and pencil on a sheet of graph paper. The work is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. Its composition is dominated by a sparse white field intersected by a faint pencil grid, over which a series of red marks form a central vertical element that expands outward at the bottom.
Subject & Meaning
The piece centers on a solitary vertical line composed of tiny red dots, dashes, and slanted strokes, which then fans out into a broader, branching shape reminiscent of a tree trunk or a bolt of lightning. The stark contrast between the minimal white space and the concentrated red marks invites contemplation of line, direction, and the tension between order (the grid) and organic growth.
Technique & Style
Simonson employs hand‑drawn red marks that are meticulously stacked in rows, creating a texture that differs from the precise, faint pencil lines of the underlying graph paper. The use of ordinary graph paper as a support emphasizes the work’s conceptual focus on structure, while the ink and colored ink introduce a subtle, yet striking, chromatic accent within an otherwise monochrome field.
History & Provenance
The drawing was produced in 2001 and subsequently acquired by the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains in the institution’s holdings. Its inclusion in MoMA’s collection reflects the museum’s interest in contemporary drawing practices that explore the intersection of drawing, mark‑making, and the use of everyday materials as artistic surfaces.
Artist & collection
