Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an acrylic painting by the Conceptual Art artist On Kawara. It dates from 1990 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
This painting is a solid black canvas with the date "APR.24,1990" in large, white, block letters in the center. The text is the only visible element on the canvas.
The simplicity of the composition draws attention to the date, which might be significant to the artist or the viewer.
If you're interested in more works like this, check out On Kawara.
Overview
Created in 1990, this acrylic on canvas by Japanese conceptual artist On Kawara consists of a uniformly black surface punctuated solely by the date “APR.24,1990” rendered in large white block letters at its center. The work is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection and exemplifies Kawara’s minimalist approach to time‑based subject matter.
Subject & Meaning
The solitary inscription of a specific calendar date foregrounds the passage of time, a recurring preoccupation in Kawara’s practice. By isolating the date against an unadorned field, the piece invites viewers to contemplate the significance of a single day within the continuum of personal and collective histories.
Technique & Style
Executed with acrylic paint, the canvas displays a flat, matte black background that absorbs light, while the white lettering is applied in a uniform, blocky typeface. The stark contrast and absence of additional visual elements align the work with conceptual art’s emphasis on idea over decorative form.
History & Provenance
On Kawara, who lived in New York from 1965 until his death in 2014, produced this piece during a period of intense focus on date‑based works. The painting entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings, where it remains on view as part of the institution’s representation of late‑20th‑century conceptual art.
Context
The work follows Kawara’s participation in major exhibitions such as the 1976 Venice Biennale and reflects his broader engagement with the religious dimension of time in conceptual art. Its minimalist presentation situates it among contemporaneous practices that privilege textual information as visual content.
Artist & collection
Artist
On Kawara (河原温, Kawara On; January 2, 1933 – July 10, 2014) was a Japanese conceptual artist who lived in SoHo, New York City, from 1965 until his death.
