Untitled [back view of standing nude looking down] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this untitled charcoal drawing of a nude figure, and there's something so immediate about the way he put it down. It's all about the gesture. Look at how the marks aren’t fussy; there's a real sense of freedom and improvisation in the lines. The texture of the charcoal is really apparent and raw, like the ghost of a body outlined on the page. The lines are confident and wobbly at the same time, like the artist is mapping the model in real time. Notice how some lines are darker and thicker, giving weight and volume, while others are light and sketchy, suggesting movement and change. It all hangs together like a well-choreographed dance. There's a similar spirit to be found in the work of Willem de Kooning, with that feeling of continuous searching and never quite settling on a fixed form. Ultimately, it’s about embracing the messy, unresolved nature of seeing and feeling.