Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a paint painting by the Abstract Expressionist artist Nicholas Krushenick. It dates from 1967 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled, a 1967 painting by Nicholas Krushenick, combines synthetic polymer paint with a novel, shaped canvas form. Characterized by bold geometric shapes and vibrant, flat colors, the work embodies the artist's transitional style, blending elements of Pop, Op, Minimal, and Color Field art.
Subject & Meaning
The painting's composition features two uneven, rectangular canvas sections, split apart with a cloudy white filler. One side displays uninterrupted green and yellow stripes, while the other introduces a jagged white disruption. This juxtaposition may suggest instability or disruption within otherwise orderly patterns.
Technique & Style
Krushenick's use of synthetic polymer paint achieves flat, bright color fields. The shaped canvas with rough, torn edges adds a tactile, unstable element, contrasting with the straight, graphic stripes. This fusion reflects his shift from Abstract Expressionism towards a more graphic, multi-style approach.
History & Provenance
Created in 1967, during Krushenick's active period in New York's art scene, the painting is now part of The Museum of Modern Art's collection.
Context
Within Krushenick's oeuvre, Untitled exemplifies his experimentation with non-traditional canvas forms and his synthesis of various early 20th-century art movements, characteristic of the dynamic New York art scene of the 1960s.
Legacy
As part of MoMA's collection, Untitled contributes to the institutional recognition of Krushenick's role in bridging Abstract Expressionism with subsequent avant-garde movements, influencing the development of abstract and geometric art practices.
Artist & collection
Artist
Nicholas Krushenick (May 31, 1929 – February 5, 1999) was an American abstract painter, collagist and printmaker whose mature artistic style straddled Pop Art, Op Art, Minimalism and Color Field.
