PHOEBE DERLEE: ECHOES

Venus Over Manhattan is pleased to present Echoes, a solo exhibition of new paintings by New York-based artist Phoebe Derlee.

November 18 – December 21, 2024

Featuring some fifteen works that variously capture the artist and her peers, the presentation marks the artist’s debut solo presentation in New York.

Derlee’s latest works capture ephemeral moments with the immediacy of a photograph while embracing the materiality of oil paint. Each work is made in a single sitting, emphasizing spontaneity, gestural expression, and the fluid dynamics of her medium. Through a compelling series of self-portraits, she explores the interplay between identity and perception, inviting viewers into a contemplative experience.

Her practice reflects a transition from early explorations in photography and painting to a dedicated focus on painting in the years since the pandemic. This convergence informs her distinctive approach to portraiture, where she transcends mere representation to delve into the textures, techniques, and emotive possibilities of paint itself.

By abstracting individual identities, Derlee’s process-driven practice reveals her fascination with how iterative encounters can provoke subtle shifts in the viewer’s experience, engaging painting as both a reflective process and an evolving technical exploration.