Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an oil drawing by Mira Schendel. It dates from 1965 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1965, this untitled work by Brazilian artist Mira Schendel consists of an oil‑transfer drawing on paper. The piece resides in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. It exemplifies Schendel’s interest in the intersection of visual form and language, presenting a minimal, almost erased gesture that invites contemplation of presence and absence.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing consists of a few faint, linear marks that suggest a simple human silhouette: two arms bent at the elbows, hands held near the chest. The ghostly quality of the lines hints at a figure that is both present and withdrawn, reflecting Schendel’s ongoing inquiry into how language and image can convey fragmented, poetic meaning.
Technique & Style
Schendel applied oil paint to the paper and then removed most of the medium, leaving only delicate, translucent traces. This oil‑transfer method produces a soft, evaporative effect, where the remaining lines appear as barely perceptible gestures. The approach aligns with her broader practice of using rice paper and other delicate supports to explore the limits of mark‑making.
History & Provenance
The work was produced during a prolific period in Schendel’s career when she was expanding her practice beyond painting into drawing, poetry, and sculpture. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection as part of the institution’s effort to represent mid‑20th‑century Brazilian avant‑garde artists, and it remains on view as part of their contemporary holdings.
Context
Schendel’s oeuvre is marked by a sustained investigation of linguistic structures and the materiality of writing. In the 1960s, she was engaged with international movements that questioned the boundaries between text and image. This untitled drawing reflects those concerns, using the act of erasure to foreground the tension between what is shown and what is implied.
Artist & collection
Artist
Mira Schendel (June 7, 1919 – July 24, 1988) was a 20th-century Brazilian contemporary artist.
