The artwork is a minimalist text-based piece consisting of the word "DOCENT" in plain gray lettering against a stark white background. The simple, straightforward composition and use of a single typographical element suggest a focus on the conceptual meaning and linguistic significance of the word "docent." The artist likely intends to prompt reflection on the role of the docent, or tour guide, in the context of art and museum education, and the relationship between language, knowledge, and the experience of art. ...
Having had her first solo exhibition at Marlborough Gallery, New York, in 1977, she went on to have many solo shows in NYC, at Marlborough and at Tibor de Nagy and throughout the United States over more than 40 years, with her most recent solo show at Hollybush Gardens, London (2023). Sultan’s work has been included in numerous group shows including many at museums such as the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Philbrook Museum of Art, the Hood Museum, the Fleming Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Art, and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Awards include two National Endowment for the Arts grants, an Academy Award in Art from the American Academy, and a medal for painting from the National Academy of Design, where she was elected a member in 1995. Her work can be found in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York: the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; the Yale University Art Gallery; the Library of Congress; and the Fleming Museum of the University of Vermont. ...
