Untitled [back view of kneeling female nude] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this 'Untitled' drawing of a kneeling female nude on paper. It’s all about the push and pull between line and mass, isn’t it? Look at the lower left; a big dark mass suggests another form, but the gestural marks give it a life of its own. The paint is applied so directly; you can feel the speed and confidence in each stroke. The way he builds up the figure from these marks, it’s almost like he’s sculpting with ink. The overall feeling of incompleteness, or ambiguity, is the key, and the negative space around the figure is just as important as the figure itself. There’s a dialogue happening between what’s there and what’s left unsaid. Think of the way Joan Mitchell attacked a canvas, same kind of energy, that willingness to let the painting lead the way.