Rachel Whiteread “Untitled (Library)” 1999

Dental plaster, polystyrene, fiberboard, and steel

Whiteread presents the cast of the negative space defined by an object as the final artwork, rather than replicating the object itself. Her simplified, abstract transformations of familiar forms, including bathtubs, chairs, and household interiors, often recall Minimalist sculpture. By making sculptures of the unnoticed spaces and marks of daily life, she transforms temporary objects into enduring symbols of human existence.