Seated Nude, Arms Crossed, Feet Turned In 

Curator: Good morning! Welcome to our audio guide. Editor: Thanks! I'm excited to start. So, here we have "Seated Nude, Arms Crossed, Feet Turned In," a pencil drawing by Mark Rothko. There's a vulnerability to it; the figure is sort of turned inward, protective even. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It’s interesting you pick up on vulnerability. Given Rothko's later, more abstract work and his biography, considering this drawing through the lens of identity is powerful. Think about the societal pressures concerning body image, and the male gaze within art history. How might this image challenge conventional portrayals of the nude? Editor: That's interesting... I hadn't thought about it that way. I guess I was just reacting to the pose. I wasn’t really thinking about Rothko’s biography at all, actually! Do you think knowing more about the social context and gender norms from his time gives the drawing even more power? Curator: Absolutely. By analyzing its visual language alongside cultural narratives, we see how it possibly complicates conventional notions of the idealized nude. Could the crossed arms represent a barrier against objectification? Is there agency in how she occupies space, even with turned-in feet? Editor: I can see that now. The pose is less passive than it first seemed. Curator: Right! Also consider his later work. Rothko moves from figuration to abstraction later in life. It poses fascinating questions. Did he abandon the figure in response to how it was perceived? What did it mean for him to paint the body? Editor: Wow, this has completely changed my perspective on this piece! Now it's making me think about the gaze of the viewer in art history. Curator: Exactly. Art is in dialogue with our ever-changing society. Editor: Thanks, this has been really insightful. Curator: Indeed! Considering it through the intersectional lens allows for richer interpretations.