Untitled
1921
gouache
From the collection of Museum of Modern Art
1921
gouache
From the collection of Museum of Modern Art
Untitled is a 1921 gouache by Aleksandr Vesnin, held at Museum of Modern Art.
This painting shows a strange, angular scene with sharp lines and bold colors. A tall, red-and-black ship looms over a flat, boxy building. The ship’s sails are stretched like triangles, with black letters and numbers on them. A small figure hangs from a rope near the ship, and the whole scene feels off-kilter, like it’s been pulled apart and rearranged. The words on the ship and building are in Russian, but they don’t spell out anything clear. The artist used quick, sketchy strokes to make it feel dynamic and unfinished. If you like this style, look up gouache to see how artists use it.
