Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a paint drawing by Kim Jones. It dates from 1992 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1992, this untitled work by Kim Jones combines synthetic polymer paint and felt‑tip pen applied to a chromogenic print. Classified as a drawing, it is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The image presents a solitary, bare‑chested figure reclined on a piece of furniture, set against a dim, cluttered backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The juxtaposition invites contemplation of vulnerability, anonymity, and the overlay of personal and urban narratives.
The figure lies sideways, head swathed in a cloth‑like bandage, arms folded behind the torso. Beneath the body, the sheets are overlaid with faint outlines resembling city maps or architectural blueprints, suggesting a tension between corporeal presence and an erased, schematic identity. The juxtaposition invites contemplation of vulnerability, anonymity, and the overlay of personal and urban narratives.
Technique & Style
Jones employs a hybrid approach: a chromogenic photographic base serves as a canvas for synthetic polymer pigments and the gestural marks of a felt‑tip pen. Soft, naturalistic skin tones contrast sharply with sketchy, linear interventions, while chiaroscuro lighting creates luminous highlights against the dark, textured surroundings. The result is a layered visual field where photographic realism meets hand‑drawn abstraction.
History & Provenance
The work was produced in the early 1990s, a period marked by Jones’s exploration of mixed media and the intersection of photography with drawing. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation, where it has been displayed in exhibitions focusing on contemporary drawing practices and the dialogue between image and mark making.
Artist & collection
