Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an acrylic painting by the Abstract Expressionist artist Dan Christensen. It dates from 1967 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1967, this untitled work by Dan Christensen is an acrylic composition in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The canvas is dominated by a series of broad, undulating bands rendered in vivid hues, yellows, greens, blues, and pinks, that intersect and overlap, generating a dense visual field that shifts between luminous and shadowed zones.
Technique & Style
The abstract language aligns with the color field tendencies of the late 1960s, focusing on surface and pigment rather than representational content.
Christensen applied the paint thickly, building up pronounced ridges that give the surface a tactile quality reminiscent of impasto. The heavy application emphasizes the physicality of the medium, while the fluid, gestural strokes convey a sense of motion. The abstract language aligns with the color field tendencies of the late 1960s, focusing on surface and pigment rather than representational content.
Subject & Meaning
The painting does not depict recognizable objects; instead, it explores the interplay of color, line, and texture. The overlapping stripes suggest a dynamic tension between order and chaos, inviting viewers to consider how visual rhythm can evoke emotional responses without narrative cues.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the work entered the holdings of the Museum of Modern Art, where it has been displayed as part of the institution’s representation of post‑minimal abstraction. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s interest in documenting the evolution of American abstract painting during the 1960s.
Context
Christensen was associated with the New York School of artists who emphasized spontaneous brushwork and the materiality of paint. This piece exemplifies the period’s shift from hard‑edge geometry toward more expressive, painterly surfaces, situating it within broader dialogues about abstraction, process, and the role of color in contemporary art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Dan Christensen was an American abstract painter He is best known for paintings that relate to Lyrical Abstraction, Color field painting, and Abstract expressionism.
