Donald Sultan (USA, born 1951) is a distinguished painter, sculptor, and printmaker, who rose to prominence in the late 1970s as part of the New Yorker “New Image” movement. He has a unique artistic method and innovative approach to traditional subject matter. Known as Abstract Representation, Donald Sultan´s art is characterized by the use of geometric black forms set against organic areas of bright color, thus bringing an abstract sensibility to his iconographic images of still life. Throughout his career he has revisited and reinvented still life, using images of lemons, poppies, playing cards, fruits, flowers, and other objects. Donald Sultan’s Lemons, a recurrent theme in his artworks, has, in fact, become an iconic image all over the world. Sultan is considered to be at the forefront of contemporary art. Although his paintings are often classified as landscapes and still life, Sultan states that they are first and foremost abstracts. Besides paintings, drawings, and sculptures, he has created many editions. Donald Sultan’s prints are unique: he uses specific materials like “flocking’s” to create expressive and powerful prints that are reminiscent of his forceful paintings. Since his first solo exhibition in 1977, Sultan’s artistic career has progressed rapidly; his works are part of the most prominent public and private collections to be found across the globe.

Donald Sultan

Donald Sultan’s large-scale still-life paintings feature semi-abstract compositions and unique materials: The artist has used tar, spackle, enamel, Masonite, and vinyl floor tiles to create his minimalist renderings of flowers, fruits, and other natural forms.

Yellow Lantern Flowers, Sept.18, 2013 belongs to Sultan’s famous sculptural Flower series. The artist is credited for the revival of the still life tradition where the image is deconstructed to the basic elements, and thus Sultan’s work remain both abstract and representational.

Just like in his paintings, Sultan masterfully applies industrial materials to his sculptures. Yellow Lantern Flowers, Sept.18, 2013 are made from painted aluminum on polished aluminum base. The ephemeral shape of the flower is gracefully combined with the weighty aluminum manifesting the synthesis of the natural and the industrial typical to Sultan´s work. The sculpture is incised with title, date, and artist initials, it is as well stamped with edition number, publisher and artist copyright stamp on the base verso.

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“ One of the mainstays of the making art is that you don't think of the new ideas, you discover them. „

—Donald Sultan