The current exhibition at Olyaa Art Gallery is the group show “Art in Unity,” including works by the painter Robert Sundholm (1941-2023), who achieved international acclaim from outlets including the New York Times, BBC News, and People Magazine.

Robert Sundholm lived an unusual and challenging life. Born to an alcoholic father and neglectful mother, he was consigned to an orphanage at age 7, and by age 15 was living on the streets of New York where he worked as a hustler. He was taken in by an older gay artist and was taught to read at age 32 by a former schoolteacher he met while working the counter at Schrafft’s Restaurant.

In later years, Sundholm found a job as janitor at North Bergen Town Hall. By then his interest in creating art had blossomed and he became a prolific painter despite never taking a lesson or even visiting an art gallery. Always generous with his artwork, he plastered the walls of Town Hall with his primal paintings.

It was there that another artist, at Town Hall on business, spotted his work and arranged to have Sundholm participate in the 1993 Outsider Art Fair in New York, where he was a sensation. Suddenly, at nearly 70 years old, Robert Sundholm was famous, interviewed and profiled as an exceptional “outsider” artist by the biggest news outlets in the western world.

Sundholm passed away on Apr. 29, 2023. His last work, completed the day before he died, is among the 10 items on display at “Art in Unity.” Many other artists are featured in the show, from North Bergen and around the world.

“Art in Unity,” presented in collaboration with the North Bergen Arts Initiative is on exhibit until Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025 at Olyaa Gallery, 704 76th Street. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.