Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Sam Durant. It dates from 2003 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Sam Durant’s 2003 drawing, executed in pencil on paper, depicts a crowd of figures brandishing placards and raised fists before a simple architectural backdrop. Rendered in monochrome, the composition relies on layered lines to suggest form, shadow and texture, while the handwritten slogans convey a sense of collective protest.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents demonstrators holding signs that read phrases such as “We are the people” and “All power to the people,” evoking themes of popular resistance and civil‑rights activism. The gestural energy of the fists and the directness of the text suggest an engagement with political mobilization and collective identity.
Technique & Style
Durant employs dense pencil hatching and cross‑hatching to build volume and depth, allowing the figures and architectural elements to emerge from a flat surface. The stark black‑and‑white palette emphasizes contrast, while the simplified facial features focus attention on the gestures and slogans rather than individual likenesses.
History & Provenance
Created in 2003, the drawing is part of Durant’s ongoing practice of addressing American social and political history. It entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it is held as an example of his work that intertwines contemporary concerns with historical reference.
Context
Durant’s broader oeuvre frequently interrogates moments from the civil‑rights movement and modernist visual language. This drawing aligns with his interest in how visual representation can comment on power structures, situating the work within a lineage of protest art that utilizes minimalistic graphic strategies.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sam Durant (born 1961, in Seattle) is a multimedia artist whose works engage social, political, and cultural issues.
