Untitled [reclining figure with cigarette and ash tray] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this ink drawing, *Untitled [reclining figure with cigarette and ash tray]*, working with the stark contrast between the black ink and the white paper to create a world of tonal variation. I love the physicality of the medium here. Diebenkorn really lets the ink do its thing: pooling, bleeding, and creating these dark, velvety blacks and translucent grays. See how the brushstrokes are visible, like he’s pushing and pulling the ink around the page. This creates an emotional experience of tension, a push-and-pull between representation and abstraction. Look at the blank space where the figure’s face should be. It’s kind of unsettling, right? Diebenkorn’s a bit of a hero of mine. He reminds me of someone like Philip Guston, because they both show how a painting can be a record of process. Like a conversation with yourself that you’re willing to share. The ambiguity in this drawing is the point.