Untitled #152

At the height of minimalism in the 1970s, Susan Rothenberg became well known for painting the outlines of horses. Afterward she began drawing and painting human figures and their disembodied parts, capturing the energy of physical and psychological life through her mark making. Untitled #152, like many of her drawings in this period, shows various states of movement. Here, the female form is twisting, twirling, jumping, and springing. The head and eyes, however, are forward facing and square. Despite the body’s implied motion, the figure remains centered and substantial, anchored to the four corners of the paper. Reducing the form to its essential elements, similar to cave paintings, Rothenberg has created a timeless icon that serves as a way of marking territory, claiming space, and boldly declaring the fullness of human existence.