Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink drawing by Paul Chan. It dates from 2009 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Paul Chan’s 2009 work Untitled merges ink on paper with physical objects—shoes and expanding foam—to disrupt traditional notions of drawing.
Paul Chan’s 2009 work Untitled merges ink on paper with physical objects—shoes and expanding foam—to disrupt traditional notions of drawing. Rather than confining the medium to line and pigment, Chan incorporates everyday materials that alter the work’s form over time. This hybrid approach reflects his broader practice of blending visual art with performance, literature, and political inquiry, positioning the piece as an evolving object rather than a static image.
Subject & Meaning
The inclusion of worn shoes and expanding foam suggests themes of absence, growth, and disruption. The shoes imply human presence without the body, while the foam—constantly changing as it hardens—introduces an element of unpredictability. Together, they evoke the lingering effects of conflict and displacement, inviting reflection on how personal and political forces leave traces that are both tangible and unstable.
Technique & Style
Chan employs ink in loose, gestural strokes across the paper, creating a field of abstract marks that contrast with the rigid, industrial nature of the foam and footwear. The materials are attached directly to the surface, rejecting the frame or glass enclosure typical of drawings. This physical intervention transforms the work into a sculptural object, blurring distinctions between drawing, installation, and assemblage.
History & Provenance
Created in 2009, Untitled entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its completion, reflecting institutional recognition of Chan’s experimental approach. Its acquisition aligns with MoMA’s broader interest in works that expand the definition of drawing beyond traditional media. The piece has since been included in exhibitions focusing on material innovation and post-2000 conceptual practices.
Context
Chan’s work emerges from a late-2000s artistic climate increasingly concerned with materiality, impermanence, and the legacy of global conflict. His use of found objects and non-art materials echoes earlier movements like Arte Povera and Fluxus, while his engagement with philosophical texts and theatrical structures situates the work within a broader intellectual tradition of critical inquiry.
Legacy
Untitled exemplifies a shift in contemporary drawing toward embodied, time-based materials that resist preservation. It has influenced subsequent artists exploring the intersection of the ephemeral and the archival. By integrating domestic and industrial elements into fine art contexts, Chan challenges viewers to reconsider what constitutes a drawing—and how meaning is generated through material change.
Artist & collection
Artist
Paul Chan (born April 12, 1973) is an American artist, writer and publisher. His single channel videos, projections, animations and multimedia projects are influenced by outsider artists, playwrights, and philosophers…
