Untitled [back view of standing nude with her left arm raised] [recto] 1955 - 1967

Editor: Here we have Richard Diebenkorn's "Untitled," a pen and ink drawing created sometime between 1955 and 1967. The stark contrast really jumps out – the black ink against the blank page, almost aggressive in its simplicity. It depicts the back view of a nude figure with their left arm raised. What can you tell me about it? Curator: What interests me most is Diebenkorn's use of very simple, readily available materials—ink and paper—to depict the body. The labor involved here is direct and unmediated; we see the hand of the artist so clearly. Consider the social context: mid-century America, a time of increasing industrialization, yet here's Diebenkorn focused on the immediate act of mark-making. It challenges this boundary between mass production and unique artistic creation. What kind of ink do you think he used, and why would that be important? Editor: It looks like it could be India ink, maybe because it's so intense and allows for those very dark, almost solid areas, and those thinner, sketchier lines. So the material dictates the…intensity? Curator: Precisely. It's not just about *what* is depicted, but *how*. How the qualities of ink, its flow, its potential for blotting and bleeding, informed the final product. Also, think about the paper. Was it expensive, archival quality, or just something lying around the studio? The means of production and reproduction! Editor: It's interesting to consider the materials not just as a means to an end, but as active participants in the artwork itself. So the economic conditions matter… the ready availability, perhaps disposability, changes the nature of the work. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks. Curator: Absolutely. And considering the work itself becomes a different experience.