Untitled [head of a reclining figure] 1955 - 1967

Curator: Here, we have an untitled work by Richard Diebenkorn, tentatively dated between 1955 and 1967. It’s rendered with pen and ink. Editor: I'm immediately struck by its vulnerability. The figure reclines, head tilted back, exposed almost. The loose, sketchy lines add to that feeling. Curator: Yes, and that exposure, created by line and the paper's surface, points to process. Look at the cheap paper, probably just ripped from a pad, and those hasty, almost nervous strokes. The very materiality screams process over polished product. Editor: Absolutely. It feels intimate, like catching the artist in a moment of private contemplation. The line is confident but raw, suggesting both mastery and a willingness to embrace imperfection, very soulful if you ask me. Curator: It speaks of accessibility. The image being casually constructed with what seems like simple materials. There’s no gilding of the lily here. The pen, the ink, the very support provided the basis for immediate inscription. Editor: There's a beauty in that simplicity. And the composition, though minimal, is so effective. That negative space above the head adds a sense of isolation, of being lost in thought. Or maybe just completely exhausted! Curator: We should also note the interesting production timelines. The artwork could have been worked on anywhere from 1955 to 1967 which indicates how time, the very conditions of labor and artistic output shape value. Editor: It’s really thought-provoking how a drawing so unadorned can elicit such a visceral response. The image feels unresolved, yet complete. Curator: It’s precisely the unfinished quality and direct inscription that invites that participation in its creation, the artist and the materials almost offering you that immediate glimpse. Editor: So, as a viewer, one can only appreciate how the sum of these parts gives that sense of feeling. Curator: Yes, the convergence of material and its context allows it to have that power.