"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" Contemporary Original Abstract Acrylic Painting by Albert Leon Sultan

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Everybody Wants to Rule the World (acrylic, gemstones, shoelaces, nailheads) is part of a series of artworks called "Return to … Read more Everybody Wants to Rule the World (acrylic, gemstones, shoelaces, nailheads) is part of a series of artworks called "Return to Eden". The series marks an abrupt change of approach by artist Albert Leon Sultan in his painting practice. This shift was prompted by the societal reflections necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the wildfires that have gripped Australia and Brazil. His recent series of paintings is an attempt to wrestle with the tremendous sense of loss and an urgency to act that Sultan feels. As he sees it, the breakdown of Humankind’s relationship with nature is forcing us to rethink our existential priorities prompting what he calls a “Return to Eden”. To Sultan, Eden is a form of imaginary paradise that doesn’t exist. It’s an ideal. Something to strive for. Yet, we have disconnected ourselves from our true oneness with nature. Having failed in this mission, the Earth is rising up to wake us up in ever more destructive ways. Sultan believes this is the central battle of all Mankind in our time—to remember that though we may seemingly have dominance over our world, we must work to create a balance between all living and nonliving forms on this planet. With rulership comes great responsibility. In series 1 of Return to Eden completed in 2020 Sultan delves more into the personal side of Eden. As a child born in the 1980s he often longs for the colorful forms and pop music that animated his youth--simple joyful elements untinged by pain and sorrow. The world is changing at a dizzying pace and he lament the loss of this youthful innocence. Each of the paintings in series 1 is influenced by a favorite 80s song that touched his childhood. According to Sultan "As I get lost in the notes and chords of these iconic songs, I imagine myself transported back to that idyllic setting of my youth, and momentarily...I return to Eden."

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Albert Leon Sultan is a multidisciplinary artist and designer living and working in NYC. He is a graduate from the University of Pennsylvania and further studied drawing and painting at the Jerusalem Studio School. For the past 18 years Albert has had a uniquely diverse career in the arts. He first built a successful decorative arts and furniture company that realized creative collaborations with major brands as well as numerous high profile clients in the fashion, design and Broadway worlds. His furniture and interiors have been featured in some of the nation’s leading publications including NY Spaces, Domino Magazine, House & Garden, Luxe, V&M Inc, Wall Street Journal, and NJ Monthly. Albert’s paintings are a natural extension of his diversified creative experiences. They exhibit confident color and a complex design sensibility born of years of crossover creative experimentation. His consistently unusual sense of style makes him an emerging artist to watch. See less