Phoebe Derlee

Venus Over Manhattan is pleased to present Echoes, a solo exhibition of new paintings by New York-based artist Phoebe Derlee. Featuring some fifteen works that variously capture the artist and her peers, the presentation marks the artist's debut solo presentation in New York. The presentation follows Derlee's recently commissioned banner for Ainadamar at the Metropolitan Opera. Echoes offers an uncommon setting for classical and contemporary masterworks at the gallery's 55 Great Jones Street location.

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.

Phoebe Derlee (b. 1987) is a New York-based artist whose multidisciplinary practice encompasses painting, photography, and sculpture, with a recent emphasis on figurative portraiture. She holds a BFA from Hunter College and École Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and an MFA from Bard College. Derlee's work has been featured in publications including The Magazine Antiques and Observer, and she has exhibited internationally at Fahrenheit in Madrid and various galleries across New York. Derlee lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.