Untitled
1985
charcoal
From the collection of Museum of Modern Art
1985
charcoal
From the collection of Museum of Modern Art
This painting looks messy on purpose. Two shadowy figures stand out against a light, textured background. One figure is hunched, with jagged lines and splatters of color around it. The other figure is smaller, almost hidden by thick black marks. The whole thing feels like it was made with lots of different tools—paint, pencil, even tape. The scribbles and smudges make it hard to tell what’s really there. The artist mixed raw, sketchy lines with smooth patches of color, almost like a half-finished drawing. The figures don’t look real—they’re more like rough ideas. If you like this style, check out Carroll Dunham.
