Untitled (Air Bed II) 1992

Rachel Whiteread made this sculpture, "Untitled (Air Bed II)," using plaster to cast the interior of an inflatable mattress. Whiteread's work is so interesting, because it makes absence visible. The color is like skin, maybe, or old bone. Look how the plaster faithfully records every crease and fold of the original object. It’s like a fossil, preserving the fleeting presence of air and the absent body that once rested there. I am drawn to the top right corner where the form is less clearly defined, it’s almost as though the sculpture is dissolving back into raw material. It reminds me of the way Eva Hesse played with latex, blurring the boundaries between sculpture and pliable form. Both artists invite us to reflect on the poetics of everyday objects. They show us how art can be found in the most unexpected places.