Setting the Pose c. 1952

Curator: William Roberts' "Setting the Pose," showcases figures in what appears to be an artist's studio, rendered entirely in pencil with a visible grid overlay. Editor: It feels like a peek behind the curtain, doesn't it? Raw, unrefined, yet brimming with creative energy. The grid makes me think of architectural blueprints, but for the human form. Curator: The grid indeed suggests a structured approach, a foundation upon which Roberts builds his figures. The poses themselves, though, feel dynamic, almost theatrical. Editor: Absolutely. There's this tension between the rigid structure and the fluid poses, like a dance between control and abandon. And the expressions, so direct yet slightly ambiguous. Curator: Symbolically, I see the grid as representing the constraints of representation, the limitations of capturing life on a two-dimensional plane, a battle fought by artists throughout time. Editor: Ultimately, Roberts invites us into his process, lets us see the bones of creation. Perhaps the real artwork isn't the final painting, but this very act of setting the pose.