hunt slonem, ‘Pink,’ 2018, oil and diamond dust on canvas

Born into a Navy family in 1951, Hunt Slonem’s early work was influenced by the flora and fauna of tropical locations he lived at as a child. Slonem studied art and architecture, receiving a degree in Painting and Art History from Tulane University in Louisiana. As a young artist, Slonem worked alongside Andy Warhol at The Factory, the artist’s famous studio. Repetition in subject matter is Warhol’s lasting influence on Slonem’s work.

On display in the Hollis Gallery, Hunt Slonem’s Hare Salon focuses on the artist’s most popular subject matter of the past several years – the rabbits or “bunnies.” The arrangement of the paintings mimics Slonem’s famous wall of bunny paintings in his studio. Slonem was inspired to paint his signature bunnies after discovering he was born in the Year of the Rabbit. In the Chinese Zodiac, the rabbit represents hope and long life. Each rabbit Slonem creates has a different personality expressed through its eyes, whiskers (if present), position of its head, and the pose of its ears. 2023 marks the Year of the Rabbit again.

This selection of paintings is on temporary loan from the Harmon-Meek Gallery (est. 1964) in Naples, Florida, which has represented Hunt Slonem since 1994.