Reclining Man [verso] 

Editor: Here we have Rothko’s ink drawing, *Reclining Man [verso]*. It presents a very sparse, linear figure, seemingly floating on the page. It feels very raw, very immediate. What do you see when you look at this work? Curator: I observe a fascinating interplay between the figure and the ground. The spare lines define the form, but perhaps more importantly, they also activate the surrounding negative space. Note how the angles of the limbs create vectors that extend beyond the body, implying connections that aren't explicitly drawn. Editor: That's interesting. So you're saying the space around the figure is as important as the figure itself? Curator: Precisely. It is within this relational field that the meaning arises, much like the structure in language is not in any one word, but how words relate to one another. It pushes us beyond the conventional notion of the figure simply resting. Ask yourself how does this abstraction influence your interpretation of reclining, as a theme. Editor: I guess focusing on how all the marks relate kind of flattens the representational quality. I was so focused on what it *is* of. Curator: Exactly, the formal components take precedence. It's in this calculated austerity, that we understand how such seemingly limited strokes become, so visually dynamic. The composition prompts us to ponder on a range of associations beyond the image, as opposed to relying solely on cultural connotations of this familiar topic. What do you make of this in relation to his colour field paintings? Editor: That's a question for another time. It's been insightful looking beyond the representational, and really focusing on line, and space. Thank you! Curator: Indeed, seeing beyond the immediately identifiable enables a deeper dialogue with the work.