Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a gouache drawing by Nancy Spero. It dates from 1979 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Created in 1979, this large-scale work consists of multiple sheets of paper joined together to form a continuous wall surface.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1979, this large-scale work consists of multiple sheets of paper joined together to form a continuous wall surface.
Created in 1979, this large-scale work consists of multiple sheets of paper joined together to form a continuous wall surface. The surface is densely covered with cut-and-pasted painted fragments, gouache washes, and pencil markings, interlaced with handwritten text, small figurative sketches, and excerpts from printed sources. The palette is dominated by muted browns, blacks, and whites, punctuated by occasional red and blue lettering.
Subject & Meaning
The composition assembles fragments of language and image to foreground themes of violence, oppression, and the possibility of renewal. Handwritten phrases such as “ACTIVE HISTORIES” and “WOMEN APPRAISALS DANCE AND” intersect with sketches of figures, suggesting a dialogue between personal experience and broader historical narratives, particularly those concerning women’s roles and struggles.
Technique & Style
The artist employed a collage method, cutting painted paper and integrating gouache and graphite to create layered surfaces. The juxtaposition of text and image, along with the irregular, hand‑drawn quality of the marks, produces a fragmented visual field that resists a singular, linear reading, characteristic of Spero’s activist aesthetic.
History & Provenance
Produced during the artist’s five‑decade career, the piece reflects her sustained engagement with contemporary social and cultural issues. It was created in the United States and has since entered the collection of a major museum, where it is displayed as part of a broader survey of her politically charged works.
Context
The work belongs to a period in which the artist intensified her focus on feminist concerns and the documentation of historical injustices. By incorporating newspaper clippings and personal annotations, the piece situates individual narratives within the larger discourse of activism and collective memory.
Artist & collection
Artist
Nancy Spero (August 24, 1926 – October 18, 2009) was an American visual artist known for her political and feminist paintings and hand pulled art prints.
