Untitled [profile of woman] 1955 - 1967

Editor: This is an untitled portrait drawing of a woman in profile by Richard Diebenkorn, created sometime between 1955 and 1967. It’s a simple pencil drawing, but there’s a quiet intensity in her gaze. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The gaze, yes, it avoids direct confrontation, yet carries a weight. The symbolism of the profile is interesting; it offers observation, objectivity. Think of ancient coins and medals – the profile was a marker of identity, status. Here, the lack of direct eye contact suggests perhaps introspection or a world the viewer is not fully privy to. Does that resonate with you at all? Editor: It does. It feels very private. Almost like we are glimpsing a moment she isn’t sharing with us. Curator: Exactly! And the artist's choice to leave many of the lines unfinished, almost skeletal, suggests a state of becoming. The contour lines defining her shoulders, for instance. What is she becoming, or remembering, or even forgetting? Those are questions that surface for me. Do you notice how Diebenkorn focuses detail on the face and leaves the rest of the composition so minimal? Editor: Yes, it definitely draws your eye to her expression. I hadn't thought about the idea of "becoming" though, but I see that. It is like a memory taking form. Curator: Precisely! Perhaps it hints at the continuous shaping of identity, memory solidifying in our minds, but always mutable. Visual symbols evolve, so revisiting them opens us up to layers of meaning and renewed perspective. Editor: I see the power in considering these symbolic layers, it enriches the experience so much. Curator: Indeed! Hopefully, our explorations together revealed new possibilities embedded in this work of art.