Leslie Sobel: Arctic Blues

Work by Leslie Sobel (BFA ​’83) is featured in Arctic Blues, a new solo exhibition opening on May 23 at Ypsilanti’s 22 North Gallery. The exhibition, rooted in Sobel’s two residencies in Svalbard, Norway, features paintings in oil and encaustic, bearing witness to the desolate beauty of, and the impact of climate change on, the landscape in the high latitudes. 

These works are a mix of icebergs, sea ice, melting glaciers and — unusually for me — Arctic animals. I think of these pieces as icons — using metal leaf and other precious materials to highlight these endangered animals and places. These are paintings about grief, about a place we are losing and about beauty and serenity.

Leslie Sobel: Arctic Blues
Exhibition Dates: May 23 — June 20, 2025

Opening Reception: Friday, May 23, 6 – 9 p.m.
First Fridays Ypsilanti: Friday, June 6, 6 – 9 p.m.
Artist talk: Saturday, June 8, 4 p.m.

22 North Gallery, 22 North Huron, Ypsilanti, MI
Hours: Saturdays and Sundays 3 – 6 p.m., or by appointment