Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an oil painting by the Abstract Expressionist artist Shuji Mukai. It dates from 1963 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1963, this untitled work by Shuji Mukai is an abstract composition that combines oil paint, string, and canvas affixed to a wooden support. The piece is part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Its visual field is dominated by a dense lattice of small, irregular marks rendered in stark black and white, intersected by a thin, horizontal yellow stripe.
Subject & Meaning
The work presents a chaotic grid of squiggling forms that suggest numbers, scribbles, or fragmented symbols, inviting viewers to contemplate the tension between order and disorder. The juxtaposition of monochrome fields with a solitary line of color hints at a subtle disruption within an otherwise uniform visual system, encouraging reflection on the boundaries of visual language.
Technique & Style
Mukai constructed the surface by adhering strings and applying oil paint in successive layers, creating a tactile, uneven texture that departs from conventional flat painting. The interplay of materiality—string, glue, and pigment—produces a relief-like effect, while the overall aesthetic aligns with mid‑century abstract experimentation that blurs the line between drawing and assemblage.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings after its acquisition in the late 20th century, though specific details of its purchase are not publicly recorded. Since its inclusion, the work has been displayed in several exhibitions focusing on post‑war Japanese abstraction and material-based practices.
Context
Emerging in the early 1960s, Mukai’s practice reflects broader trends in Japanese avant‑garde art, where artists explored unconventional media and questioned the limits of painting. The piece’s use of everyday materials such as string aligns with contemporaneous movements that emphasized process, texture, and the physicality of the artwork’s surface.
Artist & collection
