Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Jim Shaw. It dates from 1979 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
The composition balances stark dark lines with lighter tonal areas where the underlying paper is visible, giving the piece a fragmented, unfinished quality.
Created in 1979, this untitled drawing by Jim Shaw is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. Executed on paper with airbrush, colored pencil and graphite, the work presents an abstracted facial configuration composed of torn, overlapping fragments. The composition balances stark dark lines with lighter tonal areas where the underlying paper is visible, giving the piece a fragmented, unfinished quality.
Subject & Meaning
The image suggests a human visage constructed from ragged paper or fabric pieces, with jagged edges that intersect and overlap. Darkened strokes delineate rudimentary eyes and a mouth, while the irregular surfaces evoke a sense of disintegration or rapid assembly, inviting viewers to contemplate the instability of identity and the materiality of representation.
Technique & Style
Shaw combines airbrush shading with the tactile immediacy of colored pencil and graphite, allowing both smooth gradients and sharp, uneven contours. The torn-paper effect is achieved through deliberate cuts and adhesive placement, creating a three‑dimensional relief on a two‑dimensional surface. This hybrid approach merges drawing and collage, emphasizing texture and the contrast between controlled mark‑making and spontaneous, fragmented forms.
History & Provenance
The work was produced by Shaw in the late 1970s, a period marked by his exploration of mixed media and collage techniques. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains on view as part of the institution’s representation of post‑minimalist drawing practices.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jim Shaw is an American artist. His work is held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
