Donald Sultan
THREE RED LANTERN FLOWERS, 2022
Shaped Aluminum with Red Flocking
54 x 31 in
137.2 x 78.7 cm
Edition of 12
Available at VFA
There is both strength and softness in the art of Donald Sultan (b.1951), just as there is strength and softness in the artist himself. Sultan combines strong industrial materials, like tar and enamel, to create images of delicate flowers, fragile fruits and even frail eggs.
He is a superb visual artist, sculptor and printmaker. Sultan was one of a small group of influential American artists who frequently collaborated with Picasso's master-printer, Aldo Crommelynck. Sultan has been active as a teacher and guest speaker at art institutes around the world.
Born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina, Sultan received his BFA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1973 and an MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago in 1975 and moved to New York. Sultan then did some traveling, and in St. Tropez, he met Fred Prysquel, the founder of Vilebrequin swimwear. The company has incorporated Sultan’s lantern motif in their product line.
Sultan’s support of other artists and students has led to his being given Honorary Doctorate Degrees from the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C., the New York Academy of Art and the University of North Carolina in Asheville. Sultan divides his time between his home and studio in Tribeca, his home in Sag Harbor and his Paris apartment.
Mel Bochner had a way with words. Although he didn’t like being called a conceptual artist, he was one of the first, in the 1960s, to explore art as ideas.
Bochner died on February 12, 2025 at age 84. His interest in philosophy, mathematics, space and repetition led him to create series of works that were thoughtful, often humorous, with bold colors and fascinating textures, that were an inspiration to other artists.
A current show at the Hill Art Foundation explores the relationship between communication and language.
The Writing’s on the Wall: Language and Silence in the Visual Arts includes work by Andy Warhol, David Salle and other modern and contemporary artists who use symbols and words to communicate through visual art.
Works by Donald Sultan, Mel Bochner and other fine artists will be available at our exhibit at the Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary Art Fair at the Palm Beach Convention Center.
The fair begins with an invitation-only VIP Preview on Thursday, March 20 and runs through Sunday, March 23, 2025.
Please contact us if you would live more information about the art fair, the VIP Preview and the works available at the Vertu Fine Art booth.
References:
Eliza Jordan. Vilebrequin CEO Roland Herlory Talks New Collection with Artist Donald Sultan. Whitewall. December 5, 2017.
Penelope Green. Mel Bochner, Conceptual Artist Who Played With Language, Dies at 84. The New York Times. February 21, 2025.
