Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Ree Morton. It dates from 1969 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1969, this drawing by American artist Ree Morton combines crayon and pencil on a sheet of graph paper. The work consists of a loosely rendered rectangular form that extends higher on its right side, suggesting an architectural fragment. Its modest scale and sketch‑like quality reflect Morton’s interest in exploring line, material, and spatial organization during the late 1960s.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a simplified, uneven rectangle that evokes the corner of a building or a structural module. By reducing architecture to basic geometric outlines, the piece invites viewers to consider the fundamentals of form and space, aligning with Morton’s broader investigations into how everyday structures can be abstracted into visual language.
Technique & Style
Morton employed red crayon alongside graphite pencil, allowing the vivid hue to contrast with the muted grid of blue lines printed on the paper. The use of a pre‑printed graph background provides a measured framework, while the hand‑drawn marks remain spontaneous and irregular, highlighting a tension between precision and improvisation characteristic of postminimalist practice.
History & Provenance
The drawing originates from Morton’s productive period in the late 1960s, when she was associated with postminimalist and feminist art circles. Though specific exhibition histories are not documented here, the work remains part of the artist’s early output that illustrates her experimental approach to drawing and her engagement with the visual language of the era.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ree Morton (August 3, 1936 – April 30, 1977) was an American visual artist who was closely associated with the postminimalist and feminist art movements of the 1970s.
