Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Mona Hatoum in 2002.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Museum of Modern Art.

Artwork

Untitled

Mona Hatoum , 2002

Untitled is a drawing by Mona Hatoum. It dates from 2002 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 2002, this work by Mona Hatoum consists of human hair sprayed with hairspray and adhered to a square of black paper. The hair, rendered in a stark white, forms a tightly knit grid that defines a square shape while some strands protrude beyond its borders, producing a subtle three‑dimensional relief against the dark background.

Technique & Style

Hatoum employs an unconventional material—human hair—treated with hairspray to give it stiffness and a matte finish. The strands are meticulously tied and arranged in a regular, grid‑like pattern, emphasizing precision and repetition. The contrast between the luminous hair and the matte black paper heightens the tactile quality of the piece, inviting close visual inspection.

Subject & Meaning

By using a bodily material that is both intimate and universal, the work gestures toward themes of identity, corporeality, and the boundaries between the personal and the public. The orderly arrangement of hair, a symbol of individuality, within a geometric form suggests a tension between order and the organic nature of the human body.

History & Provenance

The piece entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art shortly after its creation, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of contemporary art. Its acquisition reflects MoMA’s ongoing interest in works that challenge material conventions and explore sociopolitical concerns through personal media.

Context

Hatoum, a British‑Palestinian artist known for installations and multimedia works that interrogate displacement and the body, produced this drawing during a period of heightened focus on materiality in her practice. The use of hair aligns with her broader oeuvre, which often incorporates everyday objects to question cultural and political narratives.