Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a gouache drawing by Maria Brunner. It dates from 2002 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Maria Brunner’s 2002 work Untitled is a gouache drawing on paper that belongs to the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The piece presents a solitary child in a black suit, whose head is concealed beneath an exuberant mass of curly red hair, interspersed with red berries and green ribbons, while the feet emerge from a tangle of green foliage.
Subject & Meaning
The figure’s forward gaze and static posture suggest a moment of quiet contemplation, contrasted by the chaotic, almost fantastical hair and surrounding foliage. The juxtaposition of the formal black suit with the wild, natural elements may hint at tensions between order and imagination, or the intrusion of childhood wonder into structured environments.
Technique & Style
Brunner employs gouache, a water‑based medium that yields opaque, matte surfaces. The paint’s soft, slightly blurred edges give the scene a dreamlike quality, while the vivid reds and greens maintain a lively palette that balances childlike spontaneity with compositional control.
History & Provenance
Created in 2002, Untitled entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings shortly after its completion, becoming part of the institution’s representation of early‑21st‑century drawing practices. The work remains on view within the museum’s contemporary drawing collection.
Context
During the early 2000s, artists increasingly explored the boundaries between drawing and painting, often using gouache to achieve painterly effects on paper. Brunner’s piece reflects this trend, merging illustrative detail with a more abstract, atmospheric approach.
Artist & collection
