Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink drawing by Mira Schor. It dates from 1976 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1976, this drawing by Mira Schor employs ink, dry pigment, and Japan gold size applied to rice paper. Its fragile, irregular surface reflects a deliberate engagement with material vulnerability. The work resides in The Museum of Modern Art’s collection, where it stands as an early example of Schor’s exploration of mark-making as a site of personal and political expression.
Subject & Meaning
The piece resists legible language, presenting instead a field of smudged, overlapping strokes that suggest writing without conveying meaning.
The piece resists legible language, presenting instead a field of smudged, overlapping strokes that suggest writing without conveying meaning. This deliberate obscurity challenges traditional notions of communication and authorship, aligning with feminist critiques of patriarchal structures in art and language. The absence of clear syntax becomes a form of resistance, inviting contemplation over interpretation.
Technique & Style
Schor applied ink and dry pigment with uneven pressure, creating areas of dense saturation alongside faint, eroded traces. Japan gold size adds subtle metallic sheen, contrasting with the muted, weathered tones of the background. The torn edges and irregular surface emphasize the physicality of the support, reinforcing the work’s intimate, hand-made quality.
History & Provenance
Made during a period of intense feminist art activism, the work entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection in the late 1970s. Its acquisition reflected a broader institutional shift toward recognizing experimental practices by women artists. The drawing has remained in the museum’s holdings since, consistently presented as part of its post-1960s drawing initiatives.
Context
Emerging from the New York art scene of the mid-1970s, the work responds to conceptual and process-based practices while resisting their detachment from the body. Schor’s use of fragile materials and non-linear marks aligns with feminist reimaginings of the sketchbook as a space for private thought and resistance to public norms of artistic production.
Legacy
This drawing contributes to Schor’s broader body of work that redefines drawing as a site of feminist inquiry. Its inclusion in MoMA’s collection helped legitimize non-traditional, materially sensitive approaches by women artists within major institutions. The work continues to influence contemporary discussions on the politics of mark-making and the aesthetics of impermanence.
Artist & collection
Artist
Mira Schor (born June 1, 1950) is an American artist, writer, editor, and educator, known for her contributions to critical discourse on the status of painting in contemporary art and culture as well as to feminist art history and…
