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Concrete Screen Door

A work made of concrete and steel.
Image courtesy of Rhona Hoffman Gallery

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  • A work made of concrete and steel.

Date:

1970

Artist:

Robert Overby
American, 1935-1993

About this artwork

Robert Overby’s varied work ranges from extensive investigations of materials and process conducted through castings of large-scale architectural elements and fixtures, to intimate casts of everyday objects, geometric prints, and representational paintings. At the same time that Overby introduced concrete into his repertoire of materials, he discovered a form that would hold a special importance for him—the door. The artist explained: “I see the door definitely as a body… . But the door’s also something that you set your scale by. It’s also a barrier—I have that kind of peeping Tom mentality you know, wanting to know what’s behind it.” Concrete Screen Door is part of a series of five doors—all screen doors cast in concrete. Playing on the translucency inherent in the original object, the sheer materiality of Overby’s door undermines its utility, thwarting the viewer’s ability to peer through its form.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Contemporary Art

Artist

Robert Overby

Title

Concrete Screen Door

Place

United States (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1970

Medium

Concrete and steel

Dimensions

203.2 × 114.3 × 12.7 cm (80 × 45 × 5 in.)

Credit Line

Estate of Robert Overby

Reference Number

2008.709

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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