Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Tony Lewis. It dates from 2014 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
The paper itself shows signs of wear, stains, tears, smudges, and fissures, giving the work an intentionally rough, unfinished appearance.
Created in 2014, this untitled drawing by Tony Lewis consists of four sheets of paper joined with pressure‑sensitive tape. The surface is marked with black lettering that reads fragments such as “an the people” and “people,” rendered in a loose, broken hand. The paper itself shows signs of wear, stains, tears, smudges, and fissures, giving the work an intentionally rough, unfinished appearance. It is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
Subject & Meaning
The fragmented text and distressed material suggest a contemplation of language and its breakdown. By presenting incomplete phrases alongside a deteriorating substrate, Lewis invites viewers to consider the instability of communication and the ways meaning can fragment under social or personal strain. The repeated reference to “people” hints at a collective subject, though the broken syntax resists a singular interpretation.
Technique & Style
Lewis employs a combination of graphite powder, pencil, and adhesive tape to construct the piece. The graphite dust creates a muted tonal field, while the pencil lines form the erratic lettering. The use of tape to bind the sheets is both a structural and visual element, emphasizing the work’s assemblage quality and reinforcing its tactile, provisional character.
History & Provenance
The drawing was produced in 2014 and subsequently acquired by the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains in the institution’s collection. Its inclusion in MoMA’s holdings reflects the museum’s interest in contemporary practices that explore materiality and textual disruption.
Context
Lewis’s practice often engages with the material limits of drawing, employing everyday office supplies to question conventional notions of finish and permanence. This work aligns with a broader trend in early‑21st‑century art that foregrounds process, imperfection, and the interplay between text and visual form.
Artist & collection
Artist
Anthony Robert Lewis CBE is a Welsh former cricketer, who captained England. He later became a journalist, hosting BBC Television cricket coverage between 1986 and 1998, and became president of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
