Steven Skollar Art Exhibition Will Debut In Provincetown

Provincetown's Rice Polak gallery will feature the work of New York-based artist Steven Skollar from August 4 to 17. As a painter and artist, Skollar has steadily built an international reputation for his singular eye for idiosyncratic subject matter that frequently includes depictions of classic and vintage toys.

The emotions in Skollar's work often teeter between pain and whimsy, with many portraits and still lifes that veer toward a warped reality and the uncanny. Working with a technique that recalls the 17th-century Dutch masters, Skollar employs the dramatic lighting, deep shadows, and dark grounds that were the essence of the Dutch and Flemish schools.

The Rice Polak exhibition will showcase his signature depictions of cast-off toys from the 20th century, along with an evocative series of character portraits. The paintings are a reflection of modern life served up with a mixture of nostalgia and rapier-sharp wit. With their humorous and slightly sinister twist on childhood and pop culture iconography, these arresting works have the power to both delight and provoke.

Skollar has been painting for more than 35 years. After a recent cancer diagnosis - potentially the result of carcinogens in the oil paints he has been using - Skollar is now in remission, and the Rice Polak exhibition marks his first show back after switching to less toxic acrylic paint.

Skollar's paintings will showcase alongside the work of artists Jennifer Goldfinger, Robert Goldstrom, and Anne Lilly from August 4 to 17. The show's opening reception will be held Friday, August 5, 2022, at 7 pm.

The Rice Polak Gallery is an anchor of the Provincetown, Massachusetts arts scene. The gallery presents emerging and established artists in many mediums, including painting, works on paper, sculpture, photography, and installation. To learn more about the gallery and the upcoming exhibition, visit the Rice Polak Gallery website. To view more of Steven's work, visit stevenskollar.com.

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