Untitled [two views of a standing female nude] 1955 - 1967

Curator: Before us we have an "Untitled [two views of a standing female nude]", a pencil drawing by Richard Diebenkorn, likely created between 1955 and 1967. What's your initial impression? Editor: Restrained. Economical. The artist is all about reduction and precision of form in a world filled with disposable materials and waste. It’s almost a subversive statement with its starkness. Curator: The drawing emphasizes line and gesture. The absence of facial features or detailed anatomical rendering directs our focus to the overall composition and the interplay between the two figures. Editor: Interesting. Consider that Diebenkorn, known primarily as a painter, here uses a seemingly humble medium – pencil on paper. There is labor in his attention to detail. Each subtle shift in line contributes to a tangible form. It invites considerations about the artist's process and the value assigned to 'preparatory' sketches. Curator: Exactly! Notice how the varied weight of the lines suggests volume and light, defining the contours of the figures without shading. It has a classical foundation but moves toward reduction and modern sensibility. What statements can be deduced from this? Editor: This piece speaks to a larger discourse around figuration and representation within the post-war era. What decisions did Diebenkorn consider in the context of Abstract Expressionism's dominant aesthetic in America? I find myself questioning how Diebenkorn negotiated the art market's demand for finished canvases versus his practice's more exploratory aspect shown in the work’s sketch-like presence. Curator: Those decisions make this work rich. Diebenkorn's strategic arrangement emphasizes the visual relationship. He prompts viewers to see, rather than to just consume the image. Editor: Indeed. These sketches, raw in their form, speak volumes about the processes of seeing, representing, and commodifying the human body within the contemporary art system. Curator: A compelling exploration of form and concept using seemingly very little. Editor: Precisely, a piece reflecting upon material presence within economic context.