Untitled [seated nude stretching back with her head and arms] 1955 - 1967

Editor: So, here we have Richard Diebenkorn's "Untitled," a pencil drawing of a seated nude, created sometime between 1955 and 1967. I find the pose so compelling; there's a sense of vulnerability but also strength in the stretch. What do you see when you look at this drawing? Curator: I see a dialogue between intimacy and public display, common in depictions of the nude. Diebenkorn places this figure, traditionally seen in private, within the very public space of art. But I'm drawn to the medium itself – pencil – it’s immediate, almost a raw nerve laid bare. Editor: Raw nerve is right. It feels so immediate and unfiltered. Curator: Exactly! The social context is also key. Mid-century America was grappling with changing views on the body and sexuality. The sketch format allowed Diebenkorn to present the figure without the rigid formality seen in academic nudes, questioning those older power dynamics inherent in the genre. Think about the institutions that held sway then, galleries, academies... they are now being challenged to widen perspectives and viewpoints. How do you feel this presentation challenges or confirms these conventions? Editor: It's less about idealizing and more about observing, right? The line is confident but not flawless, human even. Maybe that accessibility makes it feel contemporary. Curator: Precisely! This shifts power away from the idealized form – the academy, the patriarchy if you will – towards the artist's gaze, a more democratic interpretation, and in extension allows our own interpretation to become more important. Did it change how you perceived the drawing? Editor: Definitely, I see it now not just as a sketch, but almost as a social commentary. It's like Diebenkorn is inviting us to rethink the nude and its role. Curator: Absolutely. That interplay between artistic choice and social reflection really elevates the work.