MICHEL ANTHONY
The silent shapes of a deep water
Self defined as citizen of the world, Michel Anthony speaks a very unusual artistic
language. Strange , masculine, silent but furious, his sculptures are giving a
strong perception about the artist's personal experience of life.
Malaysian as origins, influenced by the wonderful Italian Art, classical music and colorful fashion, Michel Anthony transforms his own personality in to a multicultural source for his ideas, visions and ideals.
He gives shapes and structures to all possible metals, inspired by his own youth's memories, his love to Verdi's magnificent music, travelling on imaginary boat from his Malaysian childhood, to the fashionable couture of Milanese scenes and finally to the awarded Artists he is today.
Michel Anthony is for sure a citizen of the world , but in the same time, he still belongs to the deep, luxuriant Malaysian nature with all the mystical shadows of a deep, silent Sea.
His sculptures are not only mysterious but so much sensorial My sculptures dress up shapes says the artist.
The question is - shapes or ghosts from another time ?
Monica Mergiu
How do you describe your sculpture dedicated to Verdi entitled as The Power of Love ?
It was proud moment when my sculpture " THE POWER OF MUSIC" proposal was accepted for once in a life time chance and to be part of the selection for bicentanary celebration of Maestro Giuseppe Verdi in Montecatini, Tuscany.
And for such a personality of love, passion and humanity, I felt that its appropriate to pay homage by inserting and placing a little golden symbol of music, au milieu in the center of a pure white heart that's not large enough to magnify what he was and what he has left behind as a gift to human spirit.
You , as citizen of the world , where do you feel at home ?
All through my 40 odd yrs of voyages around I never had problem to be part of the country that I am at the moment and eventually here in cote d'azur I feel at home but I can never replace my motherland Malaysia.
What inspires you and what makes you creative ?
Every where in these period of uncertainty I feel it is important to reach out over boundries and barriers to communicate message of unifiying people from all walks of life, and its through my artwork I want to invoke and instil real values through universally recognised symbolic images.
Do you have an artistic statement?
I believe in narrating positive dreams through my artworks And its hugely rewarding indeed when you see a person walk toward the sculpture with that awe and admiration in their eye’s and by touching, it invoked deep and positive vibration of what I’ve transmitted through my creation and only after caressing it and with guilt, they ask if it was okay to touch them. Ha ha haa! even though its strictly “ Verboten “ to touch with greasy hands etc... its a pure pleasure when this happens.
Did you have a mentor ?
Yes, I had the the chance to be a personal assistance to Ken Scott in Milan who believed and encouraged me to carry on in the artfield and to Susan Nevelson in Florence in Italy and Sylvia Braverman in Vence France.
How do you describe yourself as Artist ?
I like to be known as an artist who practice and spreads love by artwork!
I love what I do and its hard to be an artist with existing artists from all over the planet, I do dare facing challenges and believe that I can still express artistically and contribute in my little way something different to wider audience still out there.
Michel ANTHONY was born in Perak, Malaysia. Nicois by adoption, he lives and works in Nice.
He started in the art world working for American artist and fashion designer Ken Scott in Milan in the 1980s, and the same time also attending Scoula Brera and Scuola Applicata at Castello. Michel decided to pursue his passion by becoming a full-time artist and left Milan to settle down in Nice.
To achieve perfect quality, Michel established links with the famous foundry of 'Massimo Del Chiaro' in Pietrasanta, Italy, where famous international artists work like Fernando Botero, Giuseppe Penone, Richard Brixel etc.
In his studio in the old town of Nice he continues to create and honor institutional and private commissions.
ROYAL ARTS VISIONS : MICHEL ANTHONY