Untitled [nude reclining on her left side] 1955 - 1967

Editor: Here we have Richard Diebenkorn’s "Untitled [nude reclining on her left side]," likely created between 1955 and 1967 using ink on paper. I’m immediately struck by its bold lines, and how the negative space creates such a powerful sense of form. What captures your attention when you look at this piece? Curator: Well, I think Diebenkorn is playing with the idea of vulnerability, that delicate dance between revealing and concealing. He is stripping away the details and leaving the essence, as if to say, ‘Look, here is a person, stripped down to their most basic self.’ The confident use of ink allows Diebenkorn to capture weight with very few strokes; it almost feels performative to me. It seems he makes up the rules as he goes along. Editor: Performative… interesting! I wouldn’t have considered that, but the bold lines definitely convey confidence. So, it’s not just about representing the figure, but the act of representing, too? Curator: Exactly! And don't you find a certain humour, a quirky playfulness, in the exaggeration of certain lines, and the omission of others? The viewer is almost invited to fill in the blanks, to participate in the act of creation. What is missing that you're itching to complete? Editor: Now that you mention it, the hands seem unfinished... I guess I want to define them. I am really taking to Diebenkorn's visual language! It makes me rethink what's important in a portrait. Curator: Yes! The painting almost challenges our expectations, and, hopefully, stretches the canvas of our imagination a little further.