Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor drawing by Rosemarie Trockel. It dates from 1997 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1997, this drawing by Rosemarie Trockel combines ink, watercolor, and typewritten text on folded paper. The work is part of The Museum of Modern Art’s collection and reflects the artist’s interest in layered materials and unconventional surfaces. Its modest scale and intimate format contrast with the suggestive weight of its imagery and textual reference.
Subject & Meaning
Two figures, dressed in hats and trousers, stand with arms raised against a pale background. Their posture suggests a gesture of acclaim or ritual, though no specific event is identified. The phrase 'arco de triomphe' appears faintly at the top, evoking monuments to victory while leaving interpretation open. The ambiguity invites reflection on symbols of triumph and their cultural resonance.
Technique & Style
Trockel employs loose, gestural ink lines and diluted watercolor to define the figures, avoiding detailed rendering. The paper’s fold introduces an accidental crease that intersects the composition, integrating chance into the work’s structure. Typewritten text, applied with mechanical precision, contrasts with the hand-drawn forms, creating a dialogue between control and spontaneity.
History & Provenance
The work entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation. It is one of many drawings from Trockel’s 1990s output that explore the intersection of text, image, and material. Its provenance remains tied to the artist’s studio practice, with no evidence of prior private ownership before institutional acquisition.
Context
Made during a period when Trockel increasingly engaged with drawing as a primary medium, this piece aligns with her broader interrogation of gender, authority, and representation. The use of everyday materials—paper, ink, typewriter—echoes conceptual and feminist practices of the time, rejecting traditional hierarchies of artistic medium.
Legacy
This work contributes to Trockel’s redefinition of drawing as a site for conceptual inquiry rather than mere illustration. Its inclusion in major collections has influenced subsequent generations of artists who treat paper not as a passive support but as an active participant in meaning-making.
Artist & collection
Artist
Rosemarie Trockel is a German conceptual artist. She has made drawings, paintings, sculptures, videos and installations, and has worked in mixed media. From 1985, she made pictures using knitting-machines. She is a…
