Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink drawing by Raymond Pettibon. It dates from 1992 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1992, this ink drawing by Raymond Pettibon—an artist who emerged from the Southern California punk scene of the 1980s—depicts a vehicle negotiating a sharp left turn beneath an oversized sun. The composition is populated with scattered textual fragments that suggest the driver’s frantic thoughts, while a dog’s head looms in the sky, adding a surreal element to the scene.
Subject & Meaning
The work juxtaposes the concrete act of driving with abstract, almost cinematic commentary. The car’s bold outlines and chrome details convey motion, whereas the surrounding words and the canine silhouette evoke anxiety, speed, and a sense of narrative tension, inviting viewers to contemplate the psychological experience of rapid movement.
Technique & Style
Pettibon employs black ink for the vehicle’s stark contours and introduces colored ink—most notably a vivid yellow—for the sun, creating a focal point. The drawing combines precise line work with looser, sketchy passages, and utilizes cross‑hatching to build texture in the background, while handwritten notes appear as integrated textual elements.
History & Provenance
The piece entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects MoMA’s interest in documenting the crossover between underground music culture and contemporary visual art, a domain in which Pettibon has been a prominent figure since his early poster and album designs for SST Records.
Artist & collection
Artist
Raymond Pettibon (born Raymond Ginn, June 16, 1957) is an American artist who lives and works in New York City.
