Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by David Robilliard. It dates from 1985 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1985, David Robilliard's Untitled is a dense, mixed-media work on paper that exemplifies the artist's signature integration of text and image.
Created in 1985, David Robilliard's Untitled is a dense, mixed-media work on paper that exemplifies the artist's signature integration of text and image. Executed with ballpoint pen, felt-tip pen, pencil, and synthetic polymer paint, the composition centers on a loosely rendered face surrounded by a chaotic field of handwritten fragments. These textual elements include jumbled thoughts, jokes, and specific phrases such as "Much more fun" and "Forgetting last night," which are variously underlined or circled.
The work reflects Robilliard's practice of treating the page as a diary-like space where visual art and personal narrative intersect without hierarchy. Produced during the height of his career in the mid-1980s, this piece captures the immediacy and vulnerability characteristic of his output, bridging the gap between private confession and public expression. The layering of media and the overlapping script create a textured surface that demands close inspection, revealing the artist's engagement with language as both a visual and semantic tool within the context of British contemporary art.
Technique & Style
At the centre of the sheet a loosely rendered human face emerges from a tangle of quick lines, while the surrounding area is filled with fragmented phrases, jokes and personal notes. Words such as “Much more fun” and “Forgetting last night” appear underlined or circled, creating a diary‑like quality. The palette is dominated by black and gray, punctuated by occasional splashes of yellow and blue that draw the eye to specific fragments.
History & Provenance
Since its creation, the drawing has remained in the public domain, entering the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Its acquisition reflects MoMA’s interest in documenting the raw, autobiographical visual language that characterized Robilliard’s practice during the mid‑1980s.
Artist & collection
