Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Ken Price. It dates from 1992 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Ken Price’s 1992 drawing, titled Untitled, combines ink, synthetic polymer paint, and colored pencil on paper. The composition presents an interior scene framed by two large windows that reveal a vivid orange sunset beyond modest houses. Inside, a blue couch and a black armchair face each other across a small white table, set against a flat pink wall and a dark, textured gray floor.
Subject & Meaning
The work juxtaposes interior and exterior spaces, highlighting the tension between the saturated, almost exaggerated sky outside and the more muted, yet still vivid, colors inside. The stark lines that define the furniture contrast with the softer, atmospheric quality of the window view, suggesting a dialogue between constructed comfort and the fleeting, luminous world beyond.
Technique & Style
Price employs a layered approach, beginning with ink outlines that establish form, then applying synthetic polymer paint for bold, flat color fields, and finishing with colored pencil details that add texture and nuance. The combination yields crisp edges alongside subtle tonal variations, creating a visual rhythm that balances graphic precision with painterly depth.
History & Provenance
Created in 1992, the drawing entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains on view. Its acquisition reflects MoMA’s interest in Price’s exploration of color and line during the early 1990s, a period when the artist was expanding his practice beyond sculpture into two‑dimensional media.
Context
During the early 1990s, Price was known for vibrant, abstract forms in ceramics and sculpture. This drawing extends his investigation of bold palettes into a representational setting, aligning with contemporary trends that blurred the boundaries between abstraction and everyday imagery, while retaining his characteristic emphasis on surface and color.
Artist & collection
