Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a paint drawing by Lari Pittman. It dates from 2002 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
It belongs to The Museum of Modern Art’s collection and exemplifies Pittman’s approach to combining disparate visual elements into a single, complex field.
Created in 2002, this drawing by Lari Pittman uses synthetic polymer paint and spray paint on paper to construct a dense, layered composition. It belongs to The Museum of Modern Art’s collection and exemplifies Pittman’s approach to combining disparate visual elements into a single, complex field. The work resists straightforward narrative, instead inviting observation of its chaotic yet deliberate arrangement of forms and text.
Subject & Meaning
The composition juxtaposes obsolete electronics—a stacked tower of radios and televisions—with a humanoid lightbulb and the word 'Snow!' scrawled across the sky. These elements suggest commentary on media saturation, technological obsolescence, and the intrusion of the absurd into daily life. The bulb’s face implies personification, while the word 'Snow!' introduces an enigmatic, almost childlike disruption to the scene’s industrial tone.
Technique & Style
Pittman employs layered brushwork and spray paint to build a surface teeming with texture and color. Swirling yellows and browns form a turbulent backdrop, while bold, flat shapes—like the radios and the bulb—stand out with graphic clarity. The mix of precise line work and spontaneous splatters creates tension between control and chaos, reflecting the artist’s interest in ornamental systems and emotional overload.
History & Provenance
The work entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation, reflecting institutional recognition of Pittman’s distinctive visual language. It was produced during a period when the artist was increasingly engaged with themes of identity, media, and domesticity. No prior ownership history beyond the artist’s studio is publicly documented, and it has remained in the museum’s care since acquisition.
Context
Made in the early 2000s, the piece responds to a cultural moment saturated with consumer electronics and shifting media landscapes. Pittman’s work often draws from queer, feminist, and decorative traditions, challenging hierarchies between high and low art. The inclusion of text and household objects aligns with broader contemporary practices that interrogate the emotional weight of everyday things.
Legacy
This drawing contributes to Pittman’s sustained exploration of visual overload as a means to convey psychological and social complexity. Its inclusion in MoMA’s collection has helped cement his role in expanding the boundaries of drawing as a medium for narrative and political inquiry. The work continues to influence artists interested in the intersection of ornament, text, and cultural critique.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lari George Pittman is a Colombian-American contemporary artist and painter. Pittman is an Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Painting and Drawing at the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture.
