Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink drawing by Raymond Pettibon. It dates from 1984 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1984, this ink drawing by Raymond Pettibon measures the stark encounter of a booted figure standing over a carcass. The composition is rendered on paper with both black and colored inks, and it is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a pair of boots looming over a dead animal, its belly exposed, while a splash of red suggests blood on the ground. Above the scene, fragmented text reads “Dumped in Arizona, murdered in California” and “A lizard was the last seen I saw,” evoking themes of violence, displacement, and a dark, sardonic narrative.
Technique & Style
Pettibon employs rapid, sketch‑like strokes that give the work an urgent, comic‑book quality. Dark areas are built up through dense cross‑hatching, while colored ink adds occasional highlights. The overall effect is raw and immediate, emphasizing the unsettling content through a minimalist visual language.
History & Provenance
Emerging from the Southern California punk milieu of the early 1980s, Pettibon was known for designing posters and album covers for SST Records, a label founded by his brother. This particular drawing entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection, reflecting the institution’s interest in the artist’s crossover between underground music culture and contemporary art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Raymond Pettibon (born Raymond Ginn, June 16, 1957) is an American artist who lives and works in New York City.
