Ronald Sloan has been obsessively painting his private world for over forty years. An examination of this almost intact, and vast body of work, exposes an alternate reality painted in a masterful and unique style. It has remained so consistent, that only dating next to his signature reveals whether the work is early or recent. The human figure, deconstructed and then reconstructed into skeletal form, often exists in a world of fear, pain, trauma and sexual abuse. Geometric figures-- grids, boxes, far off center lines, and numbers appear hand in hand with quasi human figures struggling to make sense of an unsettling world.
One of his painting was recently chosen to be on the cover of a poetry book published by Alice James Books. The gallery has a large portfolio of these paintings, as well as day book sketches. The paintings above are "The Thought" and 'The Night He Cried".
The second makes me think of the 'dreamtime' from the Aboriginals in Australia.
ReplyDeleteWork that intrigues.
Wow...beyond powerful!! I feel that Ronald and I may be kindred spirits! His work is powerful, honest and raw!! Truly challenging and inspiring to me as I pursue my own artistic honesty!!
ReplyDeleteBev,
ReplyDeleteI wish I understood more about your world! The first work is beautiful, frightening and so timely...espcially for us NY folk!