Untitled [woman sleeping with head on pillow] 1955 - 1967

Editor: Here we have Richard Diebenkorn's "Untitled [woman sleeping with head on pillow]," created sometime between 1955 and 1967, using ink on paper. There's a beautiful fluidity to the line work. It feels so intimate, capturing a private moment. What stands out to you? Curator: What intrigues me most is the immediacy and the bare bones nature of the production. It’s just ink and paper – common, readily available materials. The gestural marks suggest speed and a certain casualness, yet they clearly depict a figure. What kind of labor do you think went into this piece compared to a formal painting? Editor: That's interesting! It does seem quicker, more like a study than a finished product, though the intimacy conveys effort and dedication to observation. How might this choice of materials have impacted how the artwork was received or consumed at the time? Curator: Exactly. Think about the art market. Drawings are often seen as preliminary or less "important" than paintings. Does this impact its value as a commodity? Also, the image evokes the domestic, of intimacy. Diebenkorn uses humble materials to capture the every day. Consider, how does the material’s simplicity shift our focus? Are we meant to see something different compared to, say, a meticulously rendered oil painting? Editor: I see what you mean. It's about stripping away the pretension, focusing on the pure act of seeing and recording. That almost democratic choice of media lets us connect with the subject and the artist in a less mediated way, don't you agree? Curator: Precisely. It makes you consider the value we place on labor and materials in art, and why certain media are considered "higher" than others. Editor: I've certainly got a different appreciation of the piece and the choices Diebenkorn made. Thanks for opening my eyes! Curator: And thank you for seeing how the medium and means affect our consumption. It brings us closer to art when we engage with it, and with each other.