Untitled [studies of woman's face and hands] [verso] 1955 - 1967

Editor: Here we have Richard Diebenkorn’s "Untitled [studies of woman's face and hands] [verso]," created between 1955 and 1967 using ink and pen. The image feels immediate, like a quick study. What stands out to you about this particular work? Curator: Well, look at the materiality. The stark contrast between the ink and paper; it emphasizes the labor of creation. This isn’t about illusion, it's about the artist's hand and the tools used to depict this figure repeatedly. Consider the consumption of materials; this rapid sketching practice. What was Diebenkorn searching for here? Editor: Perhaps different perspectives? There is more than one of the same profile here, drawn with very similar but also somewhat varied lines. Curator: Precisely! And consider the "verso" designation, that tells us that this was maybe even on the back of something else! Think about that context. Was paper scarce, what did that infer about resource availability at that time? This makes this particular 'drawing' not so precious, it was material ready for use in the moment of creation, irrespective of surface. Editor: That’s fascinating. So, by considering the materials and their availability, we're not just looking at the finished product, but also the artistic process as a product of a time period. Curator: Absolutely. How does Diebenkorn’s rapid application of ink lines blur the boundaries between sketch and a "finished" piece, disrupting our ideas of hierarchy between “high” art and practice? It all is interconnected, through the hand to the product. Editor: I never considered the role of paper scarcity and its connection to practice as high art until now! Curator: Examining artwork through its materiality always yields insight! It provokes thought about value.