Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a charcoal drawing by Bjarne Melgaard. It dates from 2002 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 2002, this drawing by Norwegian artist Bjarne Melgaard combines charcoal and colored pencil on a sheet of notebook paper that the artist himself framed. The work is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection and exemplifies Melgaard’s practice of using modest, everyday materials to produce intimate, gestural images.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a hunched, shadowy figure whose head is concealed, rendered in loose, scribbled strokes. Fragmented text fragments, such as the partially crossed‑out phrases “NOT ALL FAGS GET” and “INFECTIONS”, appear in jagged black lettering, suggesting a private, unfinished note or a fleeting emotional outburst.
Technique & Style
Melgaard employs cross‑hatching and layered marks to build tonal depth, allowing charcoal to dominate the dark areas while colored pencil adds muted accents, including faint purple smudges at the margins. The use of notebook paper and the self‑made frame contribute to a raw, unfinished aesthetic that foregrounds the drawing’s immediacy.
History & Provenance
Since its creation, the piece has remained in the artist’s possession until it entered MoMA’s collection, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s holdings of contemporary drawing. Melgaard, who lives and works in New York, rose to wider public attention after the 2014 controversy surrounding his sculpture Chair.
Context
The work reflects Melgaard’s broader engagement with themes of identity, marginalization, and the tension between public and private discourse. Its fragmented textual elements echo the artist’s interest in language as a visual element, a concern also evident in his other drawings and installations from the early 2000s.
Artist & collection
Artist
Bjarne Melgaard (born 9 September 1967) is a Norwegian artist based in New York City.
