Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a wood painting by the Contemporary Abstract artist Richard Artschwager. It dates from 1998 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Created in 1998, this five‑part wall installation combines synthetic polymer paint, Formica laminate, wood, and a metal plate.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1998, this five‑part wall installation combines synthetic polymer paint, Formica laminate, wood, and a metal plate. The work is catalogued as a painting, though its three‑dimensional form extends outward from the wall, presenting an abstracted, biomorphic shape that engages the viewer’s spatial perception.
Subject & Meaning
The assembled form resembles an oversized insect, its rounded brown body and folded blue panel suggesting a wing. Small figurative motifs—a guitarist on one side and a figure with a frying pan on the other—introduce narrative hints within the abstract composition, inviting contemplation of everyday objects rendered in an uncanny, playful register.
Technique & Style
Artschwager employed industrial materials, notably Formica, a laminate commonly used for countertops, alongside painted wood and metal. By integrating these mass‑produced surfaces with hand‑applied polymer paint, he blurs the line between sculpture and painting, aligning the piece with the aesthetic concerns of Pop, Conceptual, and Minimalist movements.
History & Provenance
The work entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art shortly after its completion, where it remains on view. Its acquisition reflects MoMA’s interest in late‑20th‑century American art that challenges conventional media and explores the intersection of everyday materials with fine art practice.
Artist & collection
Artist
Richard Ernst Artschwager (December 26, 1923 – February 9, 2013) was an American painter, illustrator and sculptor. His work has associations with Pop Art, Conceptual art and Minimalism.
