Bosco Sodi: Verdigris

Olney Gleason is pleased to announce a solo exhibition of new paintings by Bosco Sodi (b. 1970, Mexico City). On view will be a suite of oxidized copper paintings made over the last year in the artist’s Brooklyn studio and a new group of glazed volcanic rock sculptures. The paintings are characterized by the vibrant verdigris patina that forms on each surface as the copper reacts to the atmospheric elements, deepening Sodi’s longstanding exploration of the dialectic of beauty and transformation. The exhibition will open at 509 West 27th Street, New York, in October 2026, concurrent with Sodi’s participation in the 16th Gwangju Biennale in South Korea. Layering copper paint and copper-based gold powder onto canvas, Sodi applies vinegar, salt, and various acids to induce a chemical reaction that causes a dramatic change in color over time. Introducing an element of anticipation to this body work, he lets chance determine the final color and texture by applying these agents at varying degrees of pressure and humidity, embracing the natural alchemy that brings his work to life. He then employs luscious red, orange, white and other pigments over his oxidized surfaces to create striking visual contrasts, demonstrating a heightened attention to color relationships. Sodi is drawn to the physical and spiritual properties of copper for its natural ability to conduct energy and create beauty out of deterioration: “Like clay, copper has been with us since the dawn of humanity. Many believe it has the power to eliminate negativity, acting as a talisman that purifies the soul and protects the body, helping us reconnect with ourselves, nature and the earth. In Buddhism, it is even a vessel for knowledge,” according to the artist. With copper, Sodi continues to embrace the states of change and impermanence that define his paintings and sculptures, deepening the central themes explored in recent solo exhibitions at the He Art Museum, Harvard Art Museums, and Venice’s Palazzo Vendramin Grimani. This series represents a new range of influence for Sodi, forming a callback to Andy Warhol’s famous Oxidation Paintings (1977–1978), a provocative body of work that pushed abstraction to new limits. The works inscribe Sodi in a material history of verdigris painting: Renaissance painters long used verdigris pigments to achieve lush emerald and turquoise colors, accepting the fate of their pictures to change over time. The color further resembles a sculptural patina ubiquitous in the history of art and architecture—from the iconic copper dome that crowns the Palais Garnier, a defining landmark of the city of Paris, to the Statue of Liberty, visible from Sodi’s Brooklyn studio. The exhibition is grounded by a group of ceramic glazed volcanic rock sculptures. Sodi sources dried volcanic magma from the Ceboruco volcano in Mexico, finding beauty in the organic formations of the earth. He glazes each surface before firing them for three days at high temperatures, altering the final color and texture of the sculpture. The installation relates to a series of gold glazed volcanic rock sculptures that will be installed in the Gwangju Biennale. Bosco Sodi is known for his use of raw, natural materials to create large-scale textured paintings and sculptures. Finding beauty in states of impermanence and imperfection, his practice involves setting conditions under which his works come into being, acting as a catalyst for the work to develop. Sodi’s aesthetic philosophy extends beyond his painting and sculpture practice: in 2013, he founded Fundación Casa Wabi near Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico, an arts center dedicated to promoting cultural exchange between international contemporary artists and local communities. Sodi has exhibited his work internationally and throughout the United States. Selected solo exhibitions include Fundación Cajas Canarias, Spain (2025), Museo de Arte de Sonora, Mexico (2025), He Art Museum, China (2024), Museu Casa das Rosas, São Paulo (2024), Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, Massachusetts (2023), Fundación Casa de México en España, Madrid (2023), Palazzo Vendramin Grimani, Venice, Italy (2022), University of South Florida Contemporary Art Museum, Tampa, Florida (2022), 23rd Triennale Milano, Milan, Italy (2022), Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas (2021), Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga, Spain (2020), Museo Nacional de Arte, Mexico City (2017), and The Bronx Museum, New York (2010). His work is held in major institutional collections worldwide, including the Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas; Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge; JUMEX Collection, Mexico City; Nagoya City Art Museum, Nagoya; Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC; Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford; and the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, among many others.