Untitled [female nude seated and leaning against a support] 1955 - 1967

Curator: I’m struck by the weight of this image—the subject's posture conveys a deep sense of introspection or perhaps weariness. Editor: Let's turn our attention to this undated piece from Richard Diebenkorn, believed to have been made sometime between 1955 and 1967. It's an untitled charcoal and pencil drawing depicting a female nude seated. Curator: Given the period, does the relaxed pose and averted gaze challenge the historical male gaze, or is it still performing within established power dynamics of representation? Editor: The smudging and visible layering of charcoal points to Diebenkorn’s process; he builds up the form and contours iteratively. Notice the visible sketch lines - we can sense his hand at work and the tangible quality of labor. The contrast created with black gives way to a softened figure with the aid of a blending stump. Curator: Right. It feels important to remember this drawing originates from a time when the female body was highly policed, especially within artistic contexts. Are we invited to consider agency, or is this passivity being imposed upon her? What might it reveal about her place, literally and metaphorically? Editor: It prompts us to consider the labor inherent in nude figure drawing—the artist’s and also, in some sense, the model's labor too; consider her endurance required to pose, and her role in this piece is significant to what is conveyed here in material form, in these raw, almost unfinished textures. This material record and evidence shows to the viewer what went into this work, a visual of an intimate process between artist and subject. Curator: Looking at the intersection of artist, subject, and viewer, it really forces me to wonder who holds the power in this exchange, especially in the realm of the female nude in art history. Editor: It gives you something to think about as it reflects the means and act of artistic production of art through the artist's and subject's efforts. Curator: Exactly! There’s much here to discuss surrounding this image and how it can give us perspective on contemporary dialogues regarding the nude.