Untitled [model draped over another model's shoulders] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of models in graphite on paper; it captures a fleeting moment. The lines are so spare, and yet they tell us so much. See how the weight of the figure on top seems to compress the figure below; it's all there in the pressure of the marks. I find myself focusing on the lower figure's legs, solid and rooted in the ground, they are drawn with an economy of means. There's no shading, no fuss, just the pure essence of form, each line is doing so much work! Thinking about his 'Ocean Park' series, Diebenkorn's pursuit of balance and tension, even in abstraction, has roots in this kind of work, this constant returning to the figure. It's like he's always searching for that sweet spot, where representation and pure form become one.