Donald Sultan ist ein führender zeitgenössischer Künstler, der Ende der 1970er Jahre als Teil der „New Image“-Bewegung in den Vordergrund rückte. Er ist bekannt für seine monumentalen Gemälde, die in charakteristischer Weise industrielle Materialien wie Teer, Spachtel und Emaille verwenden, um grundlegende geometrische und organische Elemente mit einem formalen Minimalismus darzustellen, der sowohl gewichtig als auch strukturiert ist. Donald Sultan ist vor allem für seine Stillleben sowie für seine „Katastrophen“-Bilder bekannt, die sich auf Themen wie Industrie, Krieg und von Menschen verursachte Katastrophen konzentrieren. Im Laufe seiner Karriere hat Donald Sultan das Stillleben mit Bildern von Zitronen, Mohn, Spielkarten, Früchten und Blumen und anderen Objekten immer wieder aufgegriffen und neu erfunden. Er interessiert sich für Kontraste und erforscht Dichotomien wie Schönheit und Rauheit, Natur und Künstlichkeit, Realismus und Abstraktion.
Sultans Werke zeichnen sich durch ihre auffallende Einfachheit und ihre Erforschung von Form, Textur und Farbe aus. Er ist vielleicht am besten für seine großformatigen Stillleben bekannt, die typischerweise ikonische Motive wie Blumen, Früchte und Industrieobjekte zeigen, die mit akribischer Liebe zum Detail dargestellt werden. Diese Motive werden oft vor monochromen Hintergründen dargestellt, um ihre schlichte Schönheit und grafische Wirkung zu unterstreichen.
Zeichnung und Druckgrafik sind seit den 1970er Jahren ein wichtiger Teil von Donald Sultans Praxis. Zu den wichtigsten Druckprojekten gehört seine Aquatintamappe „Black Lemons“, die 1987 gedruckt und ein Jahr später im MoMA ausgestellt wurde. 1999 arbeitete er zusammen mit David Mamet an seinem Buch Bar Mitzwa, für das er die Zeichnungen anfertigte. 2002 wurde Donald Sultan eingeladen, das Gastkünstlerprogramm am Tyler Print Institute in Singapur ins Leben zu rufen, wo er ehrgeizige Holzschnitt- und Tiefdrucke schuf. Weitere wichtige Druckgrafiken sind die Siebdrucke Früchte und Blumen I, II, III; Grüne Äpfel mit dem Meisterdrucker Ken Tyler; Rote Rosen und Ei; die Serie Rauchringe; die Serie Brutale, unsentimentale Landschaft und die Mappe mit den 12 Farben, die von der komplexen Natur der Projekte geprägt ist.
Der in Asheville, North Carolina, geborene Donald Sultan studierte an der University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, und erhielt später seinen MFA an der School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Seither erhielt er die Ehrendoktorwürde der Corcoran School of Art in Washington D.C., der New York Academy of Art und der University of North Carolina. Im Jahr 2010 wurde Sultan mit dem North Carolina Award ausgezeichnet, der höchsten Auszeichnung, die ein Staat einem Zivilisten verleihen kann. Donald Sultan zog 1975 nach New York City.
Thematisch befasst sich Sultan in seinen Arbeiten häufig mit den Begriffen Erinnerung, Verlust und dem Vergehen von Zeit. Seine Kompositionen mit ihrer Gegenüberstellung von Leben und Verfall, Schönheit und Zerstörung rufen ein Gefühl von Melancholie und Nostalgie hervor und veranlassen den Betrachter, über die Vergänglichkeit der Existenz nachzudenken.
Seine Werke befinden sich in zahlreichen prominenten Museumssammlungen, darunter das Art Institute of Chicago, IL; Cincinnati Art Museum, OH; Cleveland Art Museum, OH; Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, TX; Detroit Institute of Arts, MI; Fogg Art Museum an der Harvard University, Cambridge, MA; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC; Ludwig Museum, Budapest; Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY; Museum für Zeitgenössische Kunst, Tokio; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX; Museum of Modern Art, NY; Neuberger Museum at SUNY-Purchase, NY; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA; Singapore Museum of Art; The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, NY; Tate Gallery, London; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN und das Whitney Museum of American Art, NY.
Geboren 1951 in Asheville, North Carolina/ USA.
Donald Sultan lebt und arbeitet heute in New York.
1973 BFA, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
1975 MFA, School of the Art Institute, Chicago.
1978-79 Creative Artists Public Service Grant, New York.
1980-81 State National Endowment for the Arts.
2000 Awarded an honorary doctorate degree from the Corcoran School of Art, Washington D.C.
2002 Awarded an honorary doctorate degree from the New York Academy of Art, NY.
2007 Awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the University of North Carolina, Asheville
2010 Awarded the North Carolina Award, the highest award a state can bestow upon a civilian
2011 Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award, The Houston Fine Art Fair
Selected Solo Exhibitions:
2023
Donald Sultan: Wallflowers, Leslie Sacks Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
Recent Work – Mimosas, Galerie Andres Thalmann, Paris, France
2022
Donald Sultan: THE NATURE OF THINGS, RYAN LEE, New York, NY
2019
Donald Sultan: Mimosa, PAINTINGS & DRAWINGS, RYAN LEE, New York, NY
Donald Sultan: Dark Objects, Huxley-Parlour, London, UK
2018
Donald Sultan: Lantern Flowers and Poppies, Sellars Gallery, Simmons Visual Arts Center, Gainesville, GA
2017
Galerie Andres Thalmann, Zurich, Switzerland. “Button Down Modernism” January 18 – April 1, 2017. Catalogue.
2016
Traveling Exhibition: “Donald Sultan: The Disaster Paintings;”
- Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL. September 29 – December 23, 2016;
- Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX. February 19 – April 23, 2017. Catalogue;
- The Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC. May 26 – September 4, 2017;
- North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, NC. September 23 – December 31, 2017;
- Sheldon Museum of Art, Lincoln, NE. January 17 – April 6, 2018
Ryan Lee Gallery, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: New Paintings,” November 10 – December 23, 2016.
Baldwin Gallery, Aspen, CO: “Donald Sultan” March 18 – April 16, 2016.
2015
Galeria Freites, Caracas, Venezuela: “Donald Sultan” October 22 – November. Catalogue.
Galerie Forsblom, Helinski, Finland: “Donald Sultan” January 15 – February 8.
Meyerovich Gallery, San Fransisco, CA: “New Works: Poppies, Mimosas and Buttons,” October 1 – December 31, 2015.
2014
Vertu Fine Art, Boca Raton, FL: “Floral Constructions,” March 8 – April 30, 2014
Ryan Lee Gallery, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Artiface”, April 24 – June 27.
Serge Sorokko Gallery, San Francisco, CA:“Donald Sultan : A Decade of Paintings and Drawings”, May 22 – July 1.
Galerie Andres Thalmann, Zurich, Switzerland:“Donald Sultan: Recent Work”, January 17 – March 15.
Meredith Long Gallery, Houston, TX: “Donald Sultan”, February 27 – March 27.
2013
Galerie Piece Unique, Paris, France : “Echos”, October 10 – December 12.
2012
The Drawing Room, East Hampton, NY: “Donald Sultan”, June 28 – July 30.
2011
Mary Ryan Gallery, New York, NY: “Soot and Shine: New Works”, February 17 – April 9.
Meredith Long Gallery, Houston, TX: “Donald Sultan: New Works”, March 24 – May 4.
Baldwin Gallery, Aspen, CO: “Donald Sultan: New Works”, July 5 – August 5.
2009
Mary Ryan Gallery: “Donald Sultan: Prints”, January 22 – March 7.
Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, Ohio: “Donald Sultan: The First Decade”, February 7 – May 11.
Greenfield-Sacks Gallery, Santa Monica, California: “Donald Sultan”, March 13 – May.
Ben Brown Fine Arts, London, England: “Donald Sultan”, June 24 – September 19.
2008
Baldwin Gallery, Aspen, CO: “Donald Sultan: Works on Paper”, February 15 – March 10.
Aidan Gallery, Moscow, Russia: “Donald Sultan: Artificial Images”, March 13 – May 27.
Forsblom Gallery, Helsinki, Finland: “Donald Sultan: Drawings”, June 11 – August 24.
2007
Guy Pieters Gallery, Knokke-Heist, Belgium: “Donald Sultan”, April 1 – May 6.
Meredith Long Gallery, Houston, TX: “Donald Sultan: New Work”, September 27 – November 18.
2006
Galerie Forsblom, Helsinki, Finland: “Donald Sultan: New Paintings”, May 24 – June 30.
Mary Ryan Gallery, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Colors, Smoke and War”, February 16 – March 31.
2005
Baldwin Gallery, Aspen, CO: “New Paintings”, March 18 – April 21.
Cliff Lede Vineyards, Yountville, CA: “Donald Sultan: 1991 – 2005”, June 12 – August 28.
Centre Cultural Contemporani Pelaires, Mallorca, Spain: “Donald Sultan: Paintings and Works on Paper”, December 1 – February 15. Catalogue.
2004
Meredith Long Gallery, Houston, TX: “Donald Sultan”, February 5 – March 31.
Singapore Tyler Print Institute, Singapore: “Donald Sultan: Prints & Drawings”, March 4 – April 25.
Ameringer & Yohe Fine Art, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: New Poppy Paintings”, October 14 – November 13.
2003
Knoedler & Company, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Poppy Paintings” January 23 – March 8.
Mary Ryan Gallery, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Poppies, Oranges & Mimosas: New Prints and Drawings”, October 23 – December 6.
Galerie Forsblom, Helsinki, Finland: “Donald Sultan”, October 9 – November 2.
2002
Imago Galleries, Palm Desert, CA: “Donald Sultan”, February 23 – March 24.
Louise Cameron Wells Art Museum, Wilmington, NC: “Donald Sultan: Painting Life’s Paradoxes”, April 21 – July 14.
Winston Wächter Fine Art, Seattle, WA: “Donald Sultan: Paintings and Works on Paper”, October 22 – November 27.
2001
Baldwin Gallery, Aspen, Colorado: “Donald Sultan, 10 Paintings”, December 27 – February 12.
Dorothy Blau Gallery, Bay Harbor Islands, Florida: “Donald Sultan, Smoke Rings”, February 16- March 7.
Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas: “Donald Sultan Recent Works”, April 2 – May 28.
Raab Galerie, Berlin Germany: “Visuelle Paradoxe”, May 21 – June 30.
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan: “Smoke Rings”, August 25 – December 3.
Hill Gallery, Birmingham, Michigan: “Donald Sultan Recent Works”, October 20 – December 1.
Galerie Lutz and Thalmann, Zurich, Switzerland: “Donald Sultan: Recent Works”, November 2 – December 8.
Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia: “Donald Sultan; Paintings and Drawings”, November 30 – December 28.
2000
Hill Gallery, Birmingham, Michigan: “Donald Sultan – Selected Drawings 1976 – 1998” November 12 – January 31.
Cheekwood Museum of Art, Nashville, Tennessee: “Temporary Contemporary – Selected Works by Donald Sultan” December 4 – January 30.
Traveling exhibition: “Donald Sultan: In the Still-Life Tradition”;
- Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis, Tennessee. January 23 – April 9;
- Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. May 6 – July 17;
- Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Sept. 16 – Dec. 3;
- Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland, Florida. March 31 – June 3;
- Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Scottsdale, Arizona. June 29 – Sept 9.
Winston Wachter Fine Art, Seattle, Washington: “New Works”, February 17 – April 1.
Galerie Simonne Stern, New Orleans, Louisiana: “Donald Sultan: Paintings & Drawings” February 19 – March 28.
Meredith Long Gallery, Houston, Texas: “Donald Sultan” May 4 – May 25.
Mary Ryan Gallery, New York, New York: “Donald Sultan: Recent Prints and Drawings” May 24 – July 14.
1999
The Jewish Museum – New York, NY: “Bar Mitzvah” February 15 – May 1999 Book collaboration with playwright David Mamet.
Meredith Long & Co., Houston, Texas: “Donald Sultan Recent Works” February. 18 – March 10.
Knoedler – New York, New York: “Donald Sultan: recent painting” March 4 – 27.
Hill Gallery, Birmingham, Michigan: “Donald Sultan Selected Drawings 1976-1998” November 12 – December 31.
1998
Galerie Lutz Thalmann. – Zurich, Switzerland: “Donald Sultan” January. 6 – February 25.
Baldwin Gallery – Aspen, Colorado: “Donald Sultan” February 13 – March 10.
Turner & Runyon Gallery, Dallas Texas: “Donald Sultan, New Paintings and Drawings” May 28 – July 2.
Galleria Lawrence Rubin, Milano, Italy: “Donald Sultan, Recent Work” September 24 – October. 18.
1997
Knoedler & Co, New York, New York: “Donald Sultan: Paintings and Drawings”, April 9 – May 3.
Greenberg Van Doren Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri: “Donald Sultan: Flowers”, May 2 – June 30.
Hill Gallery, Birmingham, Missouri: “Donald Sultan: painting, Drawing, Photography”, September 6 – October 11.
Galerie Daniel Templon, Paris, France: “Donald Sultan”, September 6 – October 15.
Janet Borden, Inc, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Smoke Rings”, September 11 – October 4.
1996
Baldwin Gallery, Aspen, Colorado: “Donald Sultan: Paintings & Works on Paper,” February 16 – March 13.
Meredith Long & Company, Houston, TX: “Donald Sultan,” March 7 – 26.
Fotouhi Cramer Gallery, East Hampton, NY: “Donald Sultan: Recent Works on Paper”, August 10- September 7.
Galerie Lawrence Rubin, Zurich, Switzerland “Donald Sultan: Neue Arbeiten”, September 6 – October 5.
Mary Ryan Gallery, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Recent Prints”, October 2 – November 16.
Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan”, October 30 – December 7.
Guild Hall, East Hampton, NY: Exhibition in conjunction with the Hampton’s International Film Festival, October 16 – 21.
1995
Knoedler & Company, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: New Paintings,” March 8 – April 1.
Hill Gallery, Birmingham, Michigan: “Donald Sultan,” October 12 – November 15.
Asheville Art Museum, North Carolina: “Donald Sultan: Paintings and Drawings,” November 9 – December 30.
1994
Galeria 56, Budapest, Hungary: “Donald Sultan,” October 20 – December 17.
Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Wall Flowers,” (in association with Knoedler & Company), December 15 – January 28.
Jaffe Baker Blau, Boca Raton, Florida: “Donald Sultan: Recent Paintings”, March 3 – 24.
1993
Galerie Kaj Forsblom, Zurich, Switzerland; “Donald Sultan,” May 13 – June 26.
Hill Gallery, Birmingham, Michigan: “Donald Sultan: Morning Glories,” July 27 – August 21.
Knoedler & Company, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Recent Paintings,” October 9 – November 4.
1992
The Hill Gallery, Birmingham, Michigan: “Donald Sultan: Drawing,” January 25 – February 25.
Knoedler & Company, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Paintings,” March 21 – April 25.
Galeria Trauma, Barcelona, Spain: “Donald Sultan: Pictures,” April 2 – May 4. Catalogue, text by Francisco Calvo Serraller.
Hans Strelow Gallery, Dusseldorf, Germany: “Donald Sultan,” May 7 – June 20.
Meredith Long & Company, Houston, Texas: “Donald Sultan: Recent Paintings and Works on Paper,” May 28 – July 3.
Guild Hall Museum, East Hampton, New York: “Donald Sultan: Paintings 1978-92”, August 15 – October 4. Catalogue.
Knoedler & Company, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Drawings + Watercolors 1987-1992”
Traveling exhibition: “Donald Sultan: A Print Retrospective,”
- The American Federation of the Arts, New York, New York (organizing and circulating institution):
- Curated by Barry Walker, catalogue, text by Barry Walker;
- Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. September 17 – November 8, 1992;
- Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio. December 13- January 31, 1993;
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas. June 26- August 22, 1993;
- Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, University of Nebraska, Lincoln. January 30 – April 9, 1994;
- Madison Art Center, Wisconsin. May 28- July 24, 1994;
- Orlando Museum of Art, Florida. August 20 – October 15, 1994;
- Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Tennessee. November 12 – January 7, 1995.
1991
John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, California: “Donald Sultan: Paintings, Drawings and Prints,” January 8 – February 9, 1991.
Knoedler & Company, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Sculpture,” January 12 – February 9, 1991.
Mary Ryan Gallery, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan, Recent Print Projects: Dominoes, Fruits and Flowers, Playing Cards,” January 10 – February 13.
Meredith Long Gallery, Houston, Texas: “Donald Sultan: Drawing – Painting,” March 1 – April 6.
Greg Kucera Gallery, Seattle, Washington: “Donald Sultan: Dominoes, Playing Cards, Fruits and Flowers,” April 4 – 28.
Richard Green Gallery, Santa Monica, California: “Donald Sultan,” September 13 – October 12.
1990
Knoedler & Company, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Painting,” April 28 – May 4. Catalogue.
Greg Kucera Gallery, Seattle, Washington: “Donald Sultan: Screenprints and Etchings,” June 7 – July 1.
Equinox Gallery, Vancouver, Canada: “Donald Sultan,” October 11 – November 3.
Waddington Galleries, London, England: “Donald Sultan,” November 28 – December 21. Catalogue.
1989
Blum Helman Gallery, Santa Monica, California: “Donald Sultan: Sculpture,” March 20 – April 29.
Paul Kasmin Gallery, Inc., New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Playing Cards Drawings,” April 27 – June 4.
Runkle-Hue-Williams, Ltd., London, England: “Donald Sultan: Works on Paper,” May 4 – June 16. Catalogue
The Greenberg Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri: “Donald Sultan: New Sculpture” September 8 – November 4.
Knoedler & Co., New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Drawings “ September 12 – October 5.
Richard Green Gallery, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: A Selection of Prints,” November 18 – December 23.
1988
Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan’s Black Lemons,” February 4 – May 3.
Galerie Montenay, Paris, France: “Donald Sultan,” October 6 – 29.
La Galerie Alice Pauli, Lausanne, Switzerland: “Donald Sultan,” October 7 – November 5.
Marina Hamilton Gallery, New York, New York: “Donald Sultan: Prints and Drawings.”
1987
Akira Ikeda Gallery, Nagoya, Japan: “Donald Sultan: Linoleum Paintings 12 x 12,” 1976-1985,”, February 7 – 28.
Traveling exhibition: “Donald Sultan: Cigarette Paintings 1980-81, Photographs 1985-86,” April 1 – May 2;
- Blum Helman Gallery, New York, New York;
- Blum Helman Gallery, Los Angeles, California.
Blum Helman Gallery, New York, NY: “Donald Sultan: Recent Painting,” November 4 – 28.
Barbara Krakow Gallery, Boston, MA: “Donald Sultan: Small Paintings, Small Drawings 1978-87,” November 7 – December 2.
Traveling exhibition: “Donald Sultan,” November 14, 1987 – January 10, 1988;
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Illinois;
- Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, CA;
- Fort Worth Art Museum, Texas;
- Brooklyn Museum, New York. Catalogue.
Gian Enzo Sperone Gallery, Rome, Italy: “Donald Sultan.”
Greg Kucera Gallery, Seattle, Washington: “Donald Sultan: Black Lemons – Recent Prints.”
University Art Museum, Cal State, Long Beach, California: “Print exhibition, part of the ‘Centric Series.’”
1986
Blum Helman Gallery, New York, New York: “Donald Sultan: Drawings,” April 5 – 26, 1986.
A.P. Giannini Gallery, Bank of America, World Headquarters, San Francisco, California: “Donald Sultan: A Survey,” May 1 – June 24.
Galerie Montenay-Delsol, Paris, France: “Donald Sultan,” October 16 – November 8.
Blum Helman Gallery, Los Angeles, California: “Donald Sultan: Drawings,” December 1986.
Galerie de L’estampe Contemporaine Bibliotheque Nationale, Rostonde Colbert, Paris, France: “Donald Sultan: gravures monumentales,” October 21 – November 22.
The Greenberg Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri: “Donald Sultan: Drawings and Paintings,” November 8, 1985 – January 3, 1987.
1985
Blum Helman Gallery, New York, New York: “Donald Sultan: New Paintings,” April 3 – 27.
Traveling exhibition: “Donald Sultan: Prints 1979-1985,” October 5 – 30;
- Barbara Krakow Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts;
- Georgia State University, Atlanta;
- Baxter Gallery, Portland School of Art, Maine;
- Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT;
- Asheville Art Museum, Asheville, North Carolina;
- California State University, Long Beach. Catalogue.
Blum Helman Gallery, New York, New York: “Donald Sultan, Small Paintings,” November 29, 1985 – January 4, 1986.
Gian Enzo Sperone, Rome, Italy: “Donald Sultan”, Catalogue.
1984
Blum Helman Gallery, New York, New York: “Donald Sultan: New Paintings,” February 8 – March 3.
1983
Akira Ikeda Gallery, Tokyo, Japan: “Donald Sultan,” May 12 – 31. Catalogue.
1982
Blum Helman Gallery, New York, New York: “Donald Sultan,” April 14 – May 8.
Hans Strelow Gallery, Dusseldorf, Germany: “Donald Sultan: Bilder und Zeichnungen,” October 14 – November 13.
1981
Daniel Weinberg Gallery, San Francisco, California: “Donald Sultan: Recent Paintings,” February 4 – 28.
1980
Willard Gallery, New York, New York: “Donald Sultan,” October 4 – 30.
1979
Willard Gallery, New York, New York: “Donald Sultan,” February 24 – March 22.
Young Hoffman Gallery, Chicago, Illinois: “Donald Sultan,” November 9 – December 12.
1977
Artists Space, New York, New York: “Donald Sultan,” February 5 – 27.
The Institute of the Art and Urban Resources, P.S. 1 Special Projects Room, Long Island City, New York: “Turning the Room Sideways,” October 20 – November 27.
Donald Sultan Art in Progress.
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