Untitled
Artist
Sigmar Polke
(German, 1941 - 2010)
Dateca. 1979-1983
MediumAcrylic and spray enamel on two attached sheets of paper
DimensionsUnframed: 39 × 54 inches (99.06 × 137.16 cm)
Credit LinePurchase: acquired through the generosity of the William T. Kemper Foundation–Commerce Bank, Trustee
Object number2003.8
On View
Not on viewCollections
DescriptionThe work is divided vertically down the center. On the right stands a man in a suit and tie. He holds two books in his right hand. On the left of "Untitled" are a man and woman. The woman covers her ears with her hands while glancing downward. The man looks toward her with his left hand touching his chin.Gallery LabelIn Untitled, Sigmar Polke juxtaposes expressive brushstrokes with stenciled images borrowed from sources such as advertisements, comic books and magazines. On the left, a puzzled man looks toward an agitated woman, who turns away and covers her ears with her hands. Opposite, a man holds an unidentified package. The mood is tense. What is happening? Is this a broken engagement, a revelation of marital infidelity or something else entirely?
Polke implies a narrative and then confounds it. Meaning is ambiguous. In Untitled, the contrived emotions, expressed through the woman's gesture and the confused on-looker, are the same as those disseminated in popular culture. Untitled represents the sense of emotional distance in a society emptied of communication and compassion. Polke is a detached skeptic.
Polke implies a narrative and then confounds it. Meaning is ambiguous. In Untitled, the contrived emotions, expressed through the woman's gesture and the confused on-looker, are the same as those disseminated in popular culture. Untitled represents the sense of emotional distance in a society emptied of communication and compassion. Polke is a detached skeptic.
Copyright© Estate of Sigmar Polke / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany
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