In the late 1990’s, Robert Kobayashi embarked on a series of clouage featuring nudes in repose. Black Nude is one such work. Here the central subject reclines comfortably, her gaze directed toward an interior horizon. Parallel strips of radiant blue tin create the illusion of floorboards and striped wallpaper, while contrasting bone-hued sections trace the gentle slope of the body.

In contrast to works in which the nailheads appear numerous and constellation-like, the artist here employs just enough brads to secure the painted tin composing Black Nude. In doing so, Kobayashi centers the viewer's attention on the crinkles, dents, seams, and overall physicality of the recycled tin.

The material emphasis is further reinforced by the work’s armoured frame, itself a series of parallel strips orientated along the slope of the reclining figure. Black Nude is a significant example of Robert Kobayashi’s ability to create surfaces that exist simultaneously as image and object—reminding us of the materials' past life, covering the walls and ceilings of the restaurants and shops of old New York.