Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Richard Francisco. It dates from 1973 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1973, this untitled drawing by Richard Francisco resides in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Executed on a light‑yellow, paper‑like surface, the composition resembles a simplified map of Spain marked by five distinct symbols placed across the geographic outline.
Subject & Meaning
The work presents a stylized representation of the Iberian Peninsula, punctuated by five check‑mark‑like forms. Their distribution, some near coastal regions, others inland, suggests a schematic mapping of locations, inviting viewers to consider notions of place, selection, or designation without explicit narrative.
Technique & Style
Francisco assembled the piece from cut‑and‑pasted tracing papers, incorporating balsa wood rectangles onto the surface. Each wooden element bears a blue "V" rendered on crumpled paper, while synthetic polymer paint and pencil provide additional line and color. The overall effect is a flat, collage‑like arrangement of simple geometric shapes.
History & Provenance
The drawing was produced in the early 1970s, a period marked by experimental mixed‑media practices. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains part of the institution’s modern drawing collection.
Context
Francisco’s work aligns with broader trends of the 1970s that explored abstraction through everyday materials and cartographic references. By reducing a national map to elementary forms, the piece engages with contemporary dialogues about representation, geography, and the visual language of symbols.
Artist & collection
