Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Mary Miss. It dates from 1976 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1976, this untitled drawing by Mary Miss combines pencil and ballpoint pen on paper. It exemplifies the artist’s early investigative use of drawing as a tool for examining how individuals perceive and navigate built environments. The work is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, reflecting its relevance to contemporary discussions of space and perception.
Subject & Meaning
Small, ancillary sketches of a building occupy the corners, suggesting a peripheral concern with adjacent structures.
The composition depicts a modest square courtyard whose surrounding walls appear to be deteriorating on all sides. Small, ancillary sketches of a building occupy the corners, suggesting a peripheral concern with adjacent structures. The accompanying marginal notes describe the progressive decay, prompting viewers to consider the limits of structural stability and the broader implications of environmental neglect.
Technique & Style
Miss employs a loose, gestural line quality, allowing the pencil and ballpoint pen to intersect in a manner that creates a textured, cross‑hatched surface. The roughness of the marks conveys a sense of immediacy, as if the drawing were a series of rapid observations. This approach emphasizes the analytical, almost diagrammatic nature of the work rather than a polished aesthetic.
History & Provenance
The piece emerged during Miss’s formative period, when she was developing a practice that merged artistic inquiry with architectural and urban concerns. Since its creation, the drawing has remained within institutional holdings, ultimately entering the Museum of Modern Art’s collection, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s holdings on contemporary drawing and environmental art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Mary Miss (born May 27, 1944) is an American artist and designer. Her work has crossed boundaries between architecture, landscape architecture, engineering and urban design. Her installations are collaborative in…
