Reginald Sylvester II's Abstraction Carries History of Rubber, Military Shelters

Reginald Sylvester II's solo exhibition 'Until Then' at Maximillian William in London runs until August 2026. The artist uses rubber stretched over aluminium and discarded American military shelter halves from the 1960s and early 1970s as supports for his abstract paintings. The materials carry histories of colonial extraction, particularly rubber's ties to violence in the Congo, and military use. Sylvester's faith informs his practice, viewing abstraction as a spiritual search for unseen images. Key works include 'Cup of Water the Colour of Fire' (2026), referencing the prophet Esdras. The artist rejects the notion of materials as mere symbols, stating 'You can't omit what is already there.' The exhibition engages with American abstraction's canon while questioning its purity, embedding political and historical weight into the physicality of the work.