Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor drawing by Jörg Immendorff. It dates from 1994 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Created in 1994, this mixed-media drawing combines gouache, watercolor, pencil and crayon on paper.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1994, this mixed-media drawing combines gouache, watercolor, pencil and crayon on paper.
Created in 1994, this mixed-media drawing combines gouache, watercolor, pencil and crayon on paper. The work belongs to the collection of the Museum of Modern Art and reflects the artist’s affiliation with the Neue Wilde movement, known for its vigorous, gestural approach. Its composition is framed by a hand‑drawn border that incorporates marginal notes and additional sketches, reinforcing the piece’s informal, exploratory character.
Subject & Meaning
At the center stands a barefoot figure in a vivid yellow dress, head shaved, clutching a black‑and‑white image against a stark red backdrop. Adjacent, a sketch depicts a man in a white shirt wielding a shovel labeled “LIBERTY.” The juxtaposition of these figures and the textual element suggests a commentary on freedom, labor and identity, rendered with a playful yet confrontational tone.
Technique & Style
Immendorff employs a layered application of gouache and watercolor, allowing translucent washes to interact with opaque pigment. Pencil and crayon add definition and texture, while bold outlines emphasize the figures’ contours. The overall visual language is expressive, marked by saturated hues, dynamic line work, and a spontaneous, almost cartoonish quality that aligns with the Neue Wilde’s emphasis on emotional immediacy.
History & Provenance
The drawing was produced during a period when Immendorff was active as a painter, sculptor, stage designer and professor. After its creation, the work entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings, where it remains part of the institution’s representation of late‑20th‑century German art. Its acquisition underscores the museum’s interest in documenting the politically engaged, avant‑garde practices of the era.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jörg Immendorff (14 June 1945 – 28 May 2007) was a German painter, sculptor, stage designer and art professor. He was a member of the art movement Neue Wilde.
