Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Allan McCollum. It dates from 1989 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1989, this pencil drawing on board is one of thirty nearly identical works by Allan McCollum, each framed uniformly and arranged in a grid.
Created in 1989, this pencil drawing on board is one of thirty nearly identical works by Allan McCollum, each framed uniformly and arranged in a grid. The artist produced them manually, resisting mechanical reproduction despite their visual repetition. The work resides in The Museum of Modern Art’s collection, reflecting McCollum’s sustained interest in systems of display and the ambiguity of authorship in serial forms.
Subject & Meaning
Each panel features a unique, abstract black form, resembling a stylized blob with a stem, drawn by hand on a light ground. Though visually similar, no two shapes are identical, highlighting subtle variations in gesture and line. The work interrogates the boundary between individual expression and mechanical uniformity, suggesting meaning emerges not from singular brilliance but from collective difference within repetition.
Technique & Style
McCollum used pencil on board to create each of the thirty compositions, employing a controlled yet improvisational hand. The forms are simple but never repetitive; minor irregularities in contour, weight, and proportion reveal the artist’s manual process. The uniform frames, all identical in size and finish, impose order on the subtle individuality of the drawings, reinforcing the tension between standardization and uniqueness.
History & Provenance
This work was produced in 1989 as part of a broader series exploring seriality and reproduction. It entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation, reflecting institutional recognition of McCollum’s conceptual approach. The artist designed the frames himself, ensuring the presentation remained integral to the work’s intent, emphasizing the role of context in shaping perception.
Context
McCollum emerged in the late 1970s with projects like the Surrogate Paintings, which questioned the aura of the original artwork. By the late 1980s, his focus shifted to systems of collection and display, responding to institutional practices and mass production. This drawing series engages with those themes, positioning the handmade within the logic of the archive, the museum, and the catalog.
Legacy
The work contributes to a broader dialogue in contemporary art about the value of the handmade in an age of mechanical reproduction. McCollum’s method, producing unique objects that appear identical, has influenced artists examining identity, classification, and institutional frameworks. His approach remains a reference point for inquiries into how meaning is constructed through repetition and variation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Allan McCollum (born 4 August 1944) is a contemporary American artist who lives and works in New York City.
