Untitled [seated woman leaning forward] [recto] 1955 - 1967

Editor: This is an untitled pencil drawing of a seated woman leaning forward, made by Richard Diebenkorn sometime between 1955 and 1967. I’m struck by its simplicity, just a few lines really, yet it captures a specific mood. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a fascinating interplay between the labor of representation and the abstraction inherent in Diebenkorn's chosen materials and process. Notice the economy of line, the conscious decision not to fill in form. This forces us to consider the very act of drawing, the physical effort, and the choices made in selecting what to depict and what to leave out. Editor: So, you’re saying it’s less about the woman herself and more about the physical act of drawing her? Curator: Precisely. We're invited to contemplate the means of production, the graphite rubbing against paper, the artist’s hand moving across the surface. It begs questions about the value we place on skilled labor and the cultural contexts that define “high art” versus mere “sketch.” What societal factors elevated drawing like this from a preliminary sketch to a finished work displayed in a museum? Editor: That's a really interesting point. I guess I never thought about a simple pencil drawing in terms of labor and production, but you're right, it does make me question how we value different kinds of work in art. It challenges the traditional notion of the artist as some kind of detached genius, focusing on the active construction instead. Curator: And it questions the material itself. A pencil, humble graphite and paper, elevated. Consumption drives value. Editor: Thinking about it that way changes everything. Thanks for pointing out the importance of materiality. Curator: My pleasure. I hope it helps consider that even seemingly simple drawings can have layers of material and social implications.