Donald Sultan

Artist Information

A painter, sculptor, printmaker, and sculptor, Donald Sultan is perhaps most recognized by his landscapes
and attention-grabbing still life’s. Born in 1951, the artist contrasts black masses against saturated areas of

color to create work that is both abstract and figurative.

Sultan generates easily recognizable motifs, such as insignia, flowers, banal objects, etc. through the use of
industrial materials. His mediums have included vinyl, linoleum, and Masonite. This juxtaposition of
traditional subject matter and unorthodox materials makes for a dominating, substantial aesthetic.

Sultan uses industrial materials, including vinyl, linoleum, and masonite, juxtaposing his traditional subject matter with unusual materials. These works often involve creating layers of tar and rubber on top of slabs of linoleum or masonite, which are then stripped away in pieces to reveal the multiple surfaces beneath and then painted over again. The finished works combine a Minimalist aesthetic of few colors and geometric shapes with a highly unique treatment and destruction of surface, distinctively textured and equally balancing positive and negative space.

Born in Asheville, North Carolina, Sultan received his BFA from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and his MA from the Art Institute of Chicago. Since 1977, Sultan has traveled internationally with solo exhibitions at many prominent contemporary art galleries.

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