Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a wood painting by the Contemporary Abstract artist Fred Tomaselli. It dates from 1997 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1997, this untitled work by Fred Tomaselli is an abstract composition executed on a wood panel. The surface combines a dense field of real pharmaceutical tablets and botanical elements with layers of synthetic polymer paint and resin, resulting in a complex, tactile surface that is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection.
Subject & Meaning
The arrangement of thousands of tiny pills—varying in hue from vivid reds and yellows to muted browns and whites—radiates outward from a central point, evoking the organic patterns of leaves or feathers. The juxtaposition of medicinal objects with painterly gestures invites contemplation of consumption, health, and the visual overload of contemporary life.
Technique & Style
Tomaselli adheres actual pills and dried foliage directly onto the panel before applying layers of polymer paint and clear resin. This collage-like method creates a glossy, almost laboratory‑like finish, where the glossy resin both unifies the disparate materials and preserves their three‑dimensional presence within the painted field.
History & Provenance
The piece was acquired by the Museum of Modern Art shortly after its completion, joining a series of Tomaselli’s works that explore the intersection of natural and synthetic materials. Its inclusion in MoMA’s collection reflects the institution’s interest in contemporary practices that blur the boundaries between painting, assemblage, and object.
Context
Emerging in the late 1990s, Tomaselli’s practice aligns with a broader trend among artists who incorporated everyday objects into fine art, echoing the legacy of Pop Art and the material investigations of the 1960s. The work’s use of pharmaceutical items also mirrors growing cultural dialogues about medication and consumerism at the turn of the millennium.
Artist & collection
Artist
Fred Tomaselli is an American artist. He is best known for his highly detailed paintings on wood panels, combining an array of unorthodox materials suspended in a thick layer of clear, epoxy resin.
