Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink drawing by Robert Morris. It dates from 1961 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
You see a sheet of pale green paper covered in tight, scribbled lines—some thick, some thin, all overlapping like a tangled nest.
You see a sheet of pale green paper covered in tight, scribbled lines—some thick, some thin, all overlapping like a tangled nest.
This isn’t just doodling. Morris made it in 1961, right when artists were asking: *What counts as art?* Here, a simple act—inking lines—becomes the whole point. No image, no story, just the raw act of making.
If you like this, look up the technique called cross-hatching.
Overview
Untitled is a 1961 drawing by Robert Morris, created with ink on colored paper. It is part of The Museum of Modern Art's collection.
Technique & Style
The drawing features dense, overlapping lines of varying thickness on pale green paper, achieved through a labor-intensive process of inking. The technique bears resemblance to cross-hatching, a method used to create intricate textures and shading.
Subject & Meaning
The work focuses on the act of creating, with the scribbled lines being the primary subject. By eliminating representational imagery and narrative, Morris emphasizes the raw process of making, raising questions about the nature of art.
Context
Created in 1961, Untitled coincided with a period of artistic inquiry into the definition and boundaries of art, reflecting the experimental spirit of the time.
Artist & collection
Artist
Robert Morris (February 9, 1931 – November 28, 2018) was an American sculptor, conceptual artist and writer.
