Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a silver drawing by Bruno Munari, Riccardo "Ricas" Castagnedi Studio R+M. It dates from 1935 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled is a mixed-media artwork from circa 1935, combining cut-and-pasted printed paper with a gelatin silver print on paper, classified as a drawing. It is part of The Museum of Modern Art's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork juxtaposes disparate elements: on one side, a swirl of mechanical components (resembling gears or engines) intertwines with a moth and a bird; on the other, a dark, cloudy sky features a small flying angel. The incongruity between these elements creates a sense of strangeness.
Technique & Style
The artists employed a collage technique, integrating cut-and-pasted printed paper with a pre-existing gelatin silver print. This method allowed for the fusion of realistic images with potentially hand-drawn elements, reflecting a playful, experimental approach.
History & Provenance
Created around 1935 by the collaborative entity Studio R+M, specifically Bruno Munari and Riccardo 'Ricas' Castagnedi, the work is now held in the collection of The Museum of Modern Art.
Context
The piece exemplifies the experimental spirit of early 20th-century avant-garde movements, where artists explored new ways of combining media and challenging traditional representations of reality.
Legacy
As part of the oeuvre of Studio R+M, Munari, and Castagnedi, 'Untitled' contributes to the legacy of innovative, playful art practices of its time, influencing subsequent generations of artists in collage and mixed-media techniques.
Artist & collection
Artist
Bruno Munari, Riccardo "Ricas" Castagnedi Studio R+M
Studio R+M, Bruno Munari, Riccardo "Ricas" Castagnedi (1907–1998) was an Italian workshop or firm.
