Two Important Works by Hunt Slonem Acquired for the Campus Collection

The University Curator is thrilled to announce the acquisition of two works by American artist Hunt Slonem to the Campus Collection. The two paintings are installed in the common room of the English Department at 70 Brown Street where they can be enjoyed by students, faculty and staff. As a department known for a creative and clever spirit, there is no better home for the two newly acquired works by renowned American artist Hunt Slonem.

A prominent member of the Neo-Expressionist movement, Slonem has been creating vivid, colorful, and charming paintings since the 1970s, when he first moved to New York City. He is most well known for his paintings that feature nature and natural elements, such as his rabbit series, which he began in the 1980’s. Curator Henry Geldzahler describes Slonem as a “painter’s painter”, focused less on representation but more on “an enormous bag of technical tricks”, such as an obsessive repetition and large, striking paint strokes.

Both recently acquired works are exemplary of Slonem’s signature style. Finches, from 2017, features a massive flock of the titular bird repeated over and over in various shades of yellow, blue, red, and green. Birds are another common motif for Slonem; the artist has a personal aviary where he keeps his around 60 pet birds. 

The other acquired work comes from Slonem’s popular rabbit series; painted in 2016, Hutch Hutcvh depicts a colony of black bunnies piled onto each other on a white background.

University Curator, Nicole Wholean who accepted the works in December adds "I'm so grateful to Brown Alumni Steven and Kate Quinlin Brown who generously donated these works that grow and diversify the collection to include contemporary art.  The mission of the Campus Collection is to strengthen the creative and curricular life of the University by furthering the appreciation and enjoyment of visual arts for the Brown community.”  Wholean adds, these two paintings with their strong affinity for nature, add color and whimsy to the space. All are invited to visit Finches and Hutch Hutch in the common room one the second floor of 70 Brown Street.