Untitled [head and torso of female nude with arms raised] 1955 - 1967

Editor: This is an intriguing work titled "Untitled [head and torso of female nude with arms raised]" by Richard Diebenkorn, created sometime between 1955 and 1967. It's a drawing, seemingly just pencil on paper. The simplicity of the line work gives it a raw, almost vulnerable feeling. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I'm drawn to the marks themselves. The rapid, almost frantic energy in the lines. Look at the pressure and release evident in the graphite, the smudging and reworkings. What kind of labor went into this drawing? Was it a quick sketch done in a life drawing session, or something more labored over? Diebenkorn's choice of such humble materials—pencil and paper—speaks to a democratizing impulse. Editor: I hadn’t really considered that. You mean, thinking about how readily available these materials are changes how we see the art? Curator: Precisely! It’s accessible. Compare this to, say, a bronze sculpture or an oil painting on linen. The investment is drastically different. Furthermore, the subject matter, a nude figure, has a long history, and through the materials, he can re-engage with that history on his own terms, or for what can be sourced. Think about the art schools of the time. Was the "Untitled" drawing of a professional model or a peer of Diebenkorn, given the stylistic movement of Abstract Expressionism. What kind of relationship did he have with the source of his inspiration and resources? Editor: I see what you mean. Considering the materials really changes how I interpret the work, and it makes me wonder where Diebenkorn’s other works were shown at the time in correlation with the economic standing and background of his artistic peers. Curator: Exactly! It's about pushing back against established hierarchies, blurring the lines between the ‘high’ art object and the process of making. And perhaps acknowledging the material conditions that made such production possible.