Photo by Frances Sultan                                                       Donald Sultan

Renowned artist and Asheville native Donald Sultan will discuss "Art and Theory" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, at UNC Asheville's Humanities Lecture Hall. The successful New York artist will speak as part of UNC Asheville's annual Laurence and Joyce Dorr lecture series, "Aesthetics: Thinking Beyond Experience." The talk is Sultan's second visit to campus in recent years. In 2007, he was presented an honorary doctor of humane letters during the spring commencement ceremony. The event is free and open to the public.

Sultan is best known for his bold, large-scale treatments of still-life subjects, in which he depicts natural objects using industrial materials and methods. He describes his works as abstract --"heavy structure, holding fragile meaning" -- giving the still-life tradition a fresh approach. He is widely considered to be at the forefront of contemporary art.

Sultan moved to New York in 1975 after completing a bachelor's degree at UNC Chapel Hill and a master's degree from the Art Institute of Chicago. He quickly established himself as a prominent painter, printmaker and sculptor.

Sultan has exhibited his extensive body of work in some of the most prestigious galleries and museums around the world. His works are included in the permanent collections of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum of American Art and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. His art is on display in the galleries of his alma maters and in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Australian National Museum, Dallas Museum of Art, North Carolina Museum of Art, High Museum of Art in Atlanta, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Gardens of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, among others.

Sultan's talk is made possible by a gift from Laurence and Joyce Dorr, UNC Asheville emeriti professors, James Topp and Paula Grillot. The annual Dorr Lecture Series seeks to promote philosophical reflection on the arts.

While at UNC Asheville, Laurence Dorr served as UNC Asheville vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, Philosophy Department chair and Humanities Program professor. Joyce Dorr established, chaired and taught in the University's Music Department. She also taught in the Arts and Ideas Program.

For more information, call UNC Asheville Philosophy Department Chair Brian Butler at 828/251-6272.