Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink drawing by Ulises Carrión. It dates from 1972 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled is a 1972 drawing by Ulises Carrión, composed of torn-and-pasted printed paper on paper with ink, currently in the collection of The Museum of Modern Art.
Subject & Meaning
The work features a uniform grid of small, black-ink-filled squares, disrupted by a deliberate, jagged tear in the center, exposing the lighter underlying paper. This interruption contrasts with the otherwise pristine, untouched grid, save for the artist's signature in one corner.
Technique & Style
Carrión employed a combination of printing (for the grid) and manual techniques (ink filling, tearing) to create a piece that balances precision with a singular, expressive gesture of destruction.
History & Provenance
Created in 1972, the work is now part of The Museum of Modern Art's collection, though specific acquisition details are not provided here.
Context
Untitled reflects Carrión's exploration of the physical properties of paper and the subversion of expected patterns, characteristic of his minimalist and conceptual inclinations.
Legacy
While specific influences or direct artistic lineage are not detailed here, the piece exemplifies late 20th-century conceptual art practices, potentially inspiring future artists in exploring materiality and minimal intervention.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ulises Carrión, considered as "perhaps Mexico’s most important conceptual artist", is widely known for his decisive role in defining and conceptualizing the artistic genre of artists' book through his manifesto The New Art of Making Books…
