Untitled [seated woman reading] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this sketch of a seated woman reading at an unknown date, using graphite on paper. Look at how the strokes of graphite build up to create form, almost like a sculptor building with clay. It's like Diebenkorn is thinking through the act of drawing itself. The materiality of the graphite gives the piece a certain immediacy. You can almost feel the pressure of his hand as he moves across the paper, back and forth. The surface of the paper, visible beneath the graphite, adds a sense of depth. There's a spot on the page, just above the table, where the graphite lines seem to radiate outwards, like the energy of the room is focused there. This piece reminds me a little of Fairfield Porter, who also focused on scenes of domestic life. Like Porter, Diebenkorn seems to find endless fascination in the ordinary moments that make up our lives. For me, this piece is a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, which embraces ambiguity over fixed meanings.