Untitled [back view of standing female nude with right arm raised] 1955 - 1967

Editor: Here we have Richard Diebenkorn's ink drawing, "Untitled [back view of standing female nude with right arm raised]," created sometime between 1955 and 1967. It's such a simple yet powerful sketch. What stands out to me is the confident, almost gestural quality of the lines. What's your take? Curator: It's crucial to situate this drawing within Diebenkorn’s larger artistic project and the socio-political context of the mid-20th century. Abstract Expressionism, with its emphasis on the artist's gesture and raw emotion, was ascendant. But, Diebenkorn was also interested in figuration. How do you think a drawing like this engaged with, or perhaps resisted, the dominant trends in the art world at the time? Editor: I guess it bridges that gap. It's clearly representational, we see a figure, but the lines are so free and expressive it feels very abstract too. Maybe he was trying to find his own way, not strictly adhering to one movement. Curator: Precisely. And this relates to the changing role of the figure in art. After WWII, artists were grappling with how to represent the human condition after such profound trauma. What does this stripped-down, almost vulnerable, representation of the female nude suggest in this context? Editor: It feels intimate, almost private. The lack of detail makes her seem more universal, less like a specific person and more like a representation of humanity. Also, presenting her from the back somehow makes her seem more vulnerable. Curator: An interesting observation. Also think about the display of nudes, the gaze and the cultural perception and expectations. Considering that it is ‘untitled’, it shifts the intention to broader considerations. Editor: That makes so much sense. Thinking about the historical context really enriches the experience. I see so much more than just a sketch now. Curator: And I find myself thinking about the agency of the female figure. This has been an enlightening conversation.