Untitled [seated nude leaning on her right arm] 1955 - 1967

Editor: So, this is Richard Diebenkorn's "Untitled [seated nude leaning on her right arm]," a drawing from between 1955 and 1967. There's a raw, unfinished quality that I find really appealing, it almost feels like you're seeing the artist's process. What strikes you about it? Curator: I'm fascinated by Diebenkorn’s relationship with the figure during this period. Abstraction was ascendant, heavily influencing gallery spaces and institutional support. His commitment to figuration, especially the nude, can be read as a kind of rebellion against the dominant art market forces, don't you think? How does this "unfinished" quality play into that reading? Editor: That's a cool interpretation, that the drawing itself could be a statement! It does make me wonder if the open linework rejects the slick, polished artworks of the time. So, if he's rebelling against abstraction, is he also engaging with art history here, with the tradition of academic nudes? Curator: Precisely. Diebenkorn is positioning himself in a lineage while simultaneously questioning it. The quick, almost anxious lines create a tension with the classical subject matter. He is using the established form to explore new modes of representation within changing social norms and ideals about the body. Editor: That makes so much sense. I hadn't thought about the social implications of choosing this specific subject. I see it as more than just an aesthetic study now. Curator: And isn’t it fascinating how a simple charcoal sketch can unpack complex artistic and social power dynamics? These works, ostensibly personal explorations, became powerful declarations in the public arena. Editor: Definitely. I'm going to look at Diebenkorn in a whole new light now!