Untitled [female nude] 1955 - 1967

Editor: Here we have Richard Diebenkorn's "Untitled [female nude]," created sometime between 1955 and 1967 using ink on paper. It has an almost unfinished quality to it, quite raw in its execution. What social commentary might Diebenkorn be making here? Curator: I think you're right to focus on the raw quality. It invites us to consider the shifting representation of the female body in the mid-20th century. Was Diebenkorn challenging traditional, idealized nudes? The very act of displaying the "unvarnished" form, moving away from classical beauty, speaks to evolving social attitudes about sexuality and representation. How do you think the medium, ink drawing, plays into this? Editor: I see how ink, being so immediate, suggests an attempt to capture something authentic, as opposed to a highly rendered oil painting. But was there any kind of art-world reaction to this type of approach? Curator: Absolutely. There was a tension. The academy still prized skillful realism, while a growing segment of artists and critics were pushing for more subjective and expressive forms. Think about Abstract Expressionism blooming at this time – did this influence the perception of Diebenkorn's work? Editor: That makes sense. With Abstract Expressionism dominating the scene, maybe figurative work like this was read as either a rejection of it or, perhaps, a new way of understanding the figure within abstraction. I’m starting to appreciate how art exists in conversation with these movements and socio-political shifts. Curator: Precisely. The conversation continues, even to today! Seeing this piece anew is rewarding for me as well.