Untitled [seated female nude turning away] 1955 - 1967

Editor: Here we have Richard Diebenkorn's "Untitled [seated female nude turning away]," an ink drawing done sometime between 1955 and 1967. I'm immediately struck by the starkness of the lines; it feels almost like a study in vulnerability and perhaps a quiet defiance. What do you see in this piece, Professor? Curator: I see a dance between presence and absence, a visual poem etched in ink. The figure turns away, yet her form is assertive, rendered with bold, unwavering lines. What does that act of turning away evoke for you, beyond vulnerability? Editor: Maybe a sense of privacy? Like she's reclaiming her space even while being observed. The absence of detail in her face also contributes. Curator: Exactly. The absent face invites projection. In this era, Abstract Expressionism was challenging conventional representation. What memories and cultural understandings might Diebenkorn be playing with by simplifying the figure, yet retaining the powerful symbol of the nude? Editor: Maybe he's stripping away societal expectations, focusing on the raw essence of being, a kind of primal self? Curator: Precisely. The lack of embellishment highlights a deeper connection with form and being. Does the ink itself – its stark blackness – suggest any specific emotional quality? Editor: Perhaps a certain weightiness, a groundedness in reality despite the abstraction. It feels permanent, even in its simplicity. Curator: Indeed. The boldness of the line is key. The figure is there, almost confrontational in its directness, but also receding into the background. It is a visual paradox. I hadn’t thought about the “weightiness” before; that’s a strong connection to make! Editor: I hadn't considered it as a paradox. Seeing it that way makes it even more intriguing!