Rob Sullivan

With oil as the primary medium, Rob Sullivan’s work puts a contemporary lens up to the traditions of figure painting and narrativity. Color theory, transparency, and conceptual frameworks embedded within the imagery push the expected conventions of the genre towards unfamiliar, allusive meaning. Holbein, da Vinci, and Ingres comprise some of his classical influences, but the contemporary inspirations of Richter, Yuskavage, and Baldessari factor in as well. Rob’s technical facility with paint is a product of his traditional training in the craft, but the conceptual platform of his work is wholly modern, drawing upon theoretical models within today’s visual culture. This creates a working duality within his pictures, allowing painting’s storied history to have a dialogue with the discourse of the present.

Rob received his BFA from the School of Visual Arts in NYC, where he majored in both Painting and Illustration. He earned his MFA from Lesley Art+Design in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with a concentration in Critical Theory and Studio Art. He has taught studio art for nearly two decades in undergraduate programs, and is now a lecturer at LA+D in Integrated Studies, specializing in seminar courses related to visual culture. His work can primarily be seen throughout New York City and the New England area, where he has had numerous solo and group shows. Collections range from these same regions, but are also as far-flung as Ireland, Italy, and New Zealand. Rob lives and maintains his studio practice in Portland, Maine.

Fountain Street Exhibitions: Annex Show, May 2022, Specularis, June 2023