Mantle

The sculpture "Mantle" by Rachel Whiteread is an artwork that explores the concept of negative space. Whiteread, a British artist, is known for creating casts of interior spaces, effectively making the absence of an object tangible.1

"Mantle" specifically casts the space directly below and outlined by a dressing table. This technique is comparable to the casts of those who died at Pompeii, where the forms of people were preserved by the hardened ash. Whiteread's work, including "Mantle," transforms ordinary objects and spaces, revealing the subtle marks of human use and imbuing abstract forms with emotional resonance.1