Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an oil painting by Mimmo Paladino. It dates from 1986 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1986 by Italian artist Mimmo Paladino, this untitled work combines oil, metallic paint and tar applied to a composite support of burlap, wood and linen, all affixed to a gilded, charred plywood panel. The painting resides in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it is displayed as a representative example of the artist’s late‑1980s practice.
Subject & Meaning
A solitary, elongated figure dominates the composition, clutching a shallow bowl in one hand and a disproportionately large spoon in the other. The face is rendered as a stark, mask‑like visage, while the garment appears rigid and fragmented, suggesting a ritualistic or archetypal presence rather than a specific narrative.
Technique & Style
Paladino employs a heavily impastoed surface, layering thick, uneven applications of paint that give the work a tactile, almost sculptural quality. Metallic pigments and tar introduce reflective and matte contrasts, while the background is a chaotic field of brown, black and gold smears, punctuated by charred marks that enhance the sense of material depth.
History & Provenance
After its completion in 1986, the painting entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings, where it has remained in the permanent collection. The acquisition reflects MoMA’s interest in expanding its representation of contemporary European artists who explored material hybridity during the 1980s.
Context
The piece aligns with Paladino’s broader engagement with mythic imagery and the revival of figurative language in the post‑minimal era. Its use of unconventional supports and mixed media echoes the artist’s interest in blurring the boundaries between painting, sculpture and object, a concern shared by many of his contemporaries in the Transavanguardia movement.
Artist & collection
