Untitled

Untitled

Jim Shaw

1999

gouache

From the collection of Museum of Modern Art

About this work

This painting shows a bright blue background with yellow stars scattered around. At the top, big red letters spell out "AGONY OF..." with a missing last word. Below that, three glowing rectangles in pink and blue float like windows. Underneath, a group of kids in matching blue shirts stand close together, some looking up, others whispering or clapping. The kids’ faces are simple but expressive, while the bold colors and stars feel almost like a stage set. The missing word in the title might hint at something bigger—maybe the kids’ emotions or a hidden message. If you like this mix of text and art, check out gouache to see how artists use it for bold, flat colors.

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