Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Marlene Dumas. It dates from 1989 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Dumas made this in 1989, the same year she titled another version *How to Kill Your Mother*.
A face floats on white paper, smeared in ink like a wet fingerprint. The eyes are hollow, the mouth a jagged slash of red pencil.
Dumas made this in 1989, the same year she titled another version *How to Kill Your Mother*. The words aren’t here, but the feeling is—raw, messy, personal. She uses thin washes and quick scribbles to make skin look bruised or fading.
If you like this, try more from the technique: cross-hatching. Dumas layers short, crisscrossing lines to build shadows and tension.
Overview
Untitled is a 1989 drawing by Marlene Dumas, created with ink and colored pencil on paper. It is part of The Museum of Modern Art's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a face with hollow eyes and a jagged, red mouth, evoking a sense of raw emotion. The work explores themes of identity and representation, characteristic of Dumas' oeuvre.
Technique & Style
Dumas employs thin washes and quick scribbles to convey a sense of bruised or fading skin. The drawing also features layered, crisscrossing lines that build shadows and tension, a technique related to cross-hatching.
Artist & collection
Artist
Marlene Dumas (born 3 August 1953) is a South African artist and painter based in the Netherlands. Dumas currently lives and works in the Netherlands and is one of the country's most prolific artists.
