Jeff Sonhouse | |
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Born | Jeffrey T. Sonhouse 1968 (age 55–56) New York City, New York, U.S. |
Alma mater |
School of Visual Arts, Hunter College |
Occupation | painter |
Jeff Sonhouse (born 1968) is an American painter, known for his mixed media portraiture dealing with Black identity. [1] He is African American.
Sonhouse was born in 1968, in New York City, New York. He attended college the School of Visual Arts, where he received a B.F.A. degree in 1998; [2] followed study at Hunter College, where he received a M.F.A. degree in 2001. [3]
Sonhouse paints portraits, often of Black men which address topics of identity. [4] [5] Sonhouse stated, “I paint the black male figure because it’s mine” and “That’s who I am.” [6] His portraits have embellishments and details such as jeweled suits, jewelry and masks; and Sonhouse will sometimes collages into the canvas using mixed media such as glitter, or beads. [1] Some of his portraits are of political figures or reference historical jazz record covers. [1] His painting, The Son of the Hypocrite (2008), references African history and culture. [1]
In 2002, Sonhouse had his first solo exhibition, Tailored Larceny, at Kustera Tilton Gallery. [7] His work was included in the three-part group exhibition, Legacies: Contemporary Artists Reflect on Slavery (2006), at the New-York Historical Society. [8]
Sonhouse's work is included in public museum collections at the Studio Museum in Harlem, [9] the Nasher Museum of Art, [10] the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, [11] and the Rubell Museum. [12]
In 2010, Sonhouse had his first solo exhibition in Los Angeles, California at Martha Otero his exhibit was tilted, Better Off Dead, Said the Landlord. [13]