Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a gouache drawing by Sonja Sekula. It dates from 1957 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Created in 1957, this work consists of a single page from a spiral‑bound notebook.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1957, this work consists of a single page from a spiral‑bound notebook. The artist employed an eclectic mix of media—ballpoint pen, ink, gouache, pencil, metallic paint, and incised lines—resulting in a densely layered drawing. The composition is a tangle of intersecting lines, abrupt color strokes, and fragmentary forms that convey a sense of rapid, experimental gesture.
Technique & Style
The piece combines drawing and painting techniques: fine pen work and pencil sketches coexist with opaque gouache washes and reflective metallic accents.
The piece combines drawing and painting techniques: fine pen work and pencil sketches coexist with opaque gouache washes and reflective metallic accents. Incising into the paper adds texture, while the spiral‑bound format encourages a spontaneous, diary‑like approach. The juxtaposition of loose, wavering strokes with precise, angular lines exemplifies the artist’s interest in abstract, process‑driven mark‑making.
Subject & Meaning
Although the drawing lacks a defined narrative, occasional miniature figures and abstract shapes emerge from the chaotic network of lines, suggesting fleeting references to the human figure or symbolic motifs. The bright yellow band that bisects the surface acts as a visual focal point, perhaps indicating a moment of illumination amid the surrounding turbulence.
History & Provenance
The work was produced by Sonja Sekula, an American artist active in the 1940s and 1950s New York art scene. It remains catalogued as an untitled piece from her 1957 notebook series, reflecting a period when Sekula explored mixed‑media experimentation. Its current location is recorded in the artist’s estate archives.
Context
Sekula operated among the exiled surrealists in New York during the 1940s and was associated with the abstract expressionist movement. As an openly lesbian artist, she occupied a distinctive position within the mid‑century art community. This drawing embodies her engagement with the era’s avant‑garde practices, merging spontaneous gesture with a personal, diaristic format.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sonja Sekula (8 April 1918 – 25 April 1963) (also known as Sonia Sekula) was an American artist linked with the abstract expressionist movement, notable for her activity as an "out" lesbian in the New York art world during the 1940s and…
