Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a charcoal drawing by Gary Simmons. It dates from 1995 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1995, this drawing by Gary Simmons consists of ten transparent sheets layered to form a fragmented urban landscape.
Created in 1995, this drawing by Gary Simmons consists of ten transparent sheets layered to form a fragmented urban landscape. Executed in charcoal and pencil, the work relies on cumulative mark-making rather than defined contours. The transparency of the paper allows each layer to interact visually, producing a dense, atmospheric composition that blurs architectural forms into indistinct masses of shadow and texture.
Subject & Meaning
The image evokes a decaying cityscape without depicting specific landmarks. Buildings, roads, and bridges emerge only as smudged silhouettes, suggesting erosion, memory, or erasure. The ambiguity of form reflects themes of urban neglect and the fading traces of Black communal spaces, a recurring concern in Simmons’s practice. The work resists literal representation, instead conveying the weight of absence and historical layering.
Technique & Style
Simmons builds the composition through repeated, gestural strokes of charcoal and pencil across translucent paper. Each layer contributes to a cumulative darkness, with some areas nearly opaque and others barely visible. The smudging and overlapping create a sense of motion and dissolution, rejecting sharp outlines in favor of atmospheric gradation. The technique mimics the blurring of memory and the impermanence of built environments.
History & Provenance
The work entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation. It was produced during a period when Simmons was deeply engaged with the visual language of erasure and urban decay, often referencing the architectural history of marginalized neighborhoods. Its inclusion in MoMA’s holdings reflects its significance within 1990s conceptual drawing practices focused on social memory.
Context
Made during the mid-1990s, the piece aligns with broader artistic inquiries into race, space, and memory in post-industrial America. Simmons’s use of layered transparency echoes the palimpsest-like nature of urban development, where histories are buried beneath new construction. The work responds to the physical and cultural erasure of Black communities through architectural change and systemic neglect.
Legacy
This drawing contributed to Simmons’s reputation for redefining drawing as a medium of historical inquiry. Its layered, smudged aesthetic influenced later artists exploring memory and erasure through material process. The work remains a touchstone for discussions on how art can visualize the intangible effects of displacement and forgotten histories in the urban landscape.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gary Simmons is an American artist from New York City. Using icons and stereotypes of American popular culture, he creates works that address personal and collective experiences of race and class. He is best known for…
