Seated Woman Wearing a Bathing Suit 

Curator: Let’s consider this intriguing sketch entitled "Seated Woman Wearing a Bathing Suit", attributed to Mark Rothko. Editor: The immediacy of the graphite strikes me. It feels intimate, like a private glimpse into a quiet moment. Curator: Indeed. The subject, loosely defined, possesses a subtle tension, a quiet dignity that transcends the suggestive nature of the partially draped figure. Think about societal expectations and pressures placed upon women regarding their bodies during the eras that inform Rothko’s style. How might that influence the gaze? Editor: It’s interesting that you point to "partially draped", given the visible texture of the paper and the varied density of the pencil work, it prompts consideration about the drawing as an object. Curator: How so? Editor: It prompts me to think of its labor. We can see Rothko’s hand here, smudging and correcting, making the act of creation so very visceral. We are given the nude body of the bather with one hand on her breast in an almost protective pose. This act is created in a way that displays its artistic genesis. Curator: I agree. This speaks to the vulnerabilities inherent in representation, and even hints at how the artist himself grappled with these power dynamics in relation to his female subjects, an angle we see develop into more gender-based violence in abstract-expressionism than critics have been historically willing to assess. Editor: Considering Rothko's exploration of color fields, even in his later abstract expressionist phase, you begin to ask how is his transition informed by his early works. Perhaps how his movement, line and tone within these early drawings influenced the blocking he performs in abstraction? Curator: Absolutely. Looking through an intersectional lens provides avenues for deeper insights into not only this portrait but also the social history ingrained in the artist's choices and aesthetic development. Editor: I would not have thought to bring it there myself, however this piece really speaks to me of craft, touch and practice. Curator: Exactly, an excellent illustration of how different viewpoints enrichen our dialogue and understanding of an artwork!