Between surface and depth

Virginia Overton’s latest exhibition, Paintings, at the White Cube Mason’s Yard explores the intersection of sculpture, architecture, and the body through a compelling reimagining of salvaged materials. This exhibition reflects Overton’s ongoing engagement with the potential of discarded industrial objects, emphasizing their material histories and future possibilities.

Central to the show is a series of wall-mounted reliefs that blur the boundaries between painting and sculpture. In works like Untitled (yellow square) and Untitled (grey overlay), Overton repurposes materials from the iconic Domino Sugar Factory in Brooklyn, layering vibrant yellow signage and galvanized steel to create compositions that evoke geometric abstraction. The weathered surfaces, bearing dents and scratches, underscore the passage of time while imbuing the works with tactile depth.

Another standout piece, Untitled (Nude Descending a Staircase), references Duchamp’s iconic painting. Composed of stainless-steel strips affixed in a rhythmic pattern, the sculpture gleams with polished precision, creating an illusion of movement as light interacts with its surface.

The ground-floor gallery juxtaposes industrial and domestic elements, featuring works like Untitled (flag) and Untitled (box with pink), where aluminum and steel are transformed into abstract compositions. These pieces highlight Overton’s ability to elevate humble materials into forms rich with spatial and conceptual complexity.

With Paintings, Overton continues to challenge conventional boundaries between art forms, offering a poetic meditation on materiality and the interconnectedness of past, present, and future.

Don’t miss this groundbreaking exhibition that reimagines the connections between sculpture, architecture, and the human body, on view through March 2nd, 2025.