[ Biography
Press Release
Michel Anthony - Sculptor
FEET ON THE BRONZE AND HEAD IN THE COLORS
"My sculptures dress up shapes." Self-taught citizen of the world, Michel Anthony summarizes in a few words his artistic vision - personal and coherent, against all odds, and nothing seems to predispose this sailor to become an artist... Let's have a quick look at his life. At the age of 8, Michel Anthony was harvesting rubber in the Hevea fields of Malaysia. Modest family, hard life, small jobs... His ambition pushed him to quickly leave Malaysia to sail the South Seas. "My inspiration comes from the deep within as well as my time on the boats and travels." He became a professional skipper and ran a sport-fishing agency in Ceylon. All the colors of the sea he will find again a few years later in Milan with Ken Scott, an American artist who became a fashion designer who revolutionized the Italian fashion in the 1980's.
Ken Scott is the magician behind "Flower Power" and his bright colors will be the staple of his creations. Michel Anthony was Ken Scott's first assistant in charge of the color palette. He mixed colors by hand, designed the fabrics that will be used to dress up prestigious women like Brigitte Bardot, Princess Durusheva and Jackie Kennedy... And still taking classes of the fine arts of Brera and the School of Castello in Milan. "Of my experiences in the fashion world, I kept my taste for clothing and mix and match colors. My sculptures give shape to the void." His first sculptures were created at that time, the abstractions that he keeps on doing today by mixing colors and geometrical shapes.
To dedicate himself entirely to sculpture, Michel Anthony decides to leave Milan and settles down in Nice. Bronze sculpture demands not only artistic qualities, but also an impeccable realization. After some less satisfying experiments, Michel Anthony, decides to find a foundry to match his expectations and his technical demands. In Pietrasanta, Italy near Carrare, he found the very famous foundry, Massimo Del Chiaro, where Botero and many famous international artists work. The bronze in this foundry has qualities that don't exist anywhere else. But not everybody can work at Del Chiaro. The demand exceeds the production capabilities of the foundry. With his passion, Michel Anthony knocks on the door of the foundry. The owner sensing a real talent gives him the keys to this paradise.
His first sculpture wins first prize in a European contest in Nice in 2005. Many more awards like the prize of the jury for the sculpture "Eagle of Nice" will follow. In his atelier in the old town of Nice, Michel Anthony continues to create and honors the wishes of his private or public collectors in Malaysia, Japan or Italy. Without any doubt there is an Anthony style: cosmic, light, and symbolic. "I do a sketch with paper and pencil, I paint it on the canvas and then I do a plaster replica. If the technique is traditional, the one involving wax, my influences are American:Ken Scott, of course, but also Susan Nevelson and Sylvia Braverman"
Michel Anthony was born in Perak, Malaysia. He lives and works in Nice. Michel Anthony has been a fulltime sculptor since 2003.
Michel Anthony, 20 rue Droite, 06000 Nice – 04 22099168
sculpture@anthonymichel.com - www.anthonymichel.com - facebook Michel Anthony
Michel Anthony , Photo by : Chiara Samugheo
Malaysian by birth, niçois by adoption.
The award winning Artist and Sculptor, started his career working as the personal assistant to the prolific fashion designer Ken Scott in ( Milan ) Italy, from 1979 - 1991 until his demise .
During this time Michel Anthony worked alongside Ken Scott in fabric design for the fashion world, colour schemes and archiving ,continued his interest in the art world, by attending the art school ‘ Scuola Brera dell Arté ’ in Milan 1987 - 1991, and then attended the Scuola Superioré d’arté Applicata ill Industria Castello, Milan, Italy.
As cites Mr Cambré he has passed ephemeral spheres of distant lands that recall the rites and typical Pagan worship of far off lands and culture, a fusion of the divine and the profane, the imaginary and the real, the abstract and the solid, to a new style where the swipes of the Palate knife play with colour , neither monotone or monochrome, but in surge of emotion, and explosion of amazement; this all translates into one unique word ; ADMIRATION.
Recent Exhibitions & Merits
2010 : Expo personal / " Menara KL ", Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
2009 : Participation / Malaysian National day & Tourism Malaysia in Lyon.
2008 : Exposition / Salle Neptune , Saint Jean Cap Ferrat,France.
2008 : Participation / 51th National Day celebration of Malaysia, in Marseille.
2008 : Participation / Accademia Internationle Santarita Villa Tesoriera, Torino.
2007 : Participation / Prestige de l’art & Prestige d’ Europe, Nice.
2007 : Participation / Pluie des Toile, Cannes.
2006 : Exposition / Hôtel Concord Lafayette & Ambassade de Malaysia, Paris .
2006 : Participation / Exposition International Kobe 2006, Japan.
2005 : Exposition / Hotel Marriott, Le port de Monaco.
1998 : Participation / Artist of Perak at May-Bank, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
1994 : Exposition Personal / Virbac Laboratory, Carros, France.
1990 : Participation / Amici Dei Artiste, Milan, Italy.
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2007 : Prix < Prestige de l’ art & Prestige de Europe 2007 > Nice.
2007 : Deuxième Prix de Sculpture, « Pluie des Toile , Cannes ».
2007 : Trophée Monsieur le Consul des Philippines & Cap Vert .
2006 : Diplôma / Prix ‘Kobe International Arts’ Japan. Pour Peinture.
2006 : Prix de Jury pour sculpture < Aigle de Nice >
2006 : Coupe de < Christian Estrosi > Conseil General Alps Maritime.
2005 : Coupe de « Ville de Nice » France.
2005 : Prix « Prestige de l’ Art »& « Prestige de l’Europe 2005 »
He has also received great acclaim for his bronze sculptures during the 49th Malaysia
National Day Celebrations at the Hotel Concorde Lafayette Paris in September 2006. His work was displayed to dignitaries and special guests as a Symbol of the unity and harmony of the Malaysian people where his roots lie and where many of his artistic ideas have their foundations.
During his time in Nice, he can be found working alongside some of the best artist in the region and amongst world renowned sculptors such as , Alexandra De Lazzareff , Joseph Sheppard , Igor Mitoraj, Fernando Botero, Ivan Theimer, Mauro Corda , Brixel Richard , etc … at his atelier / foundry in Pietrasanta, Italy.
L'élégance domine la sculpture d ' Anthony Michel.
Apparemment elle est désinvolture, l' art d'exprimer une écriture dans l ' espace, ou la personnalité du sculpteur use d' éléments simples mais essentiels.
Pour susciter un chant d ' amour, un hymne à la beauté. Abstraite ou semi - figurative, titrée de noms variés ( Amy 1, Chloé, Love Heart , Magali... ) cette sémantique aérienne se développe en courbes, en rythmes retenus, ou l' alvéole est reine et la construction logique, dominant aisément ses limites.
Ainsi, dans le respect thématique d' un style, naissent des pièces originales, toniques, claires, non répétitives, dont la conception sérielle n'interdit ni les audace, ni l'agrément visuel.
Cet univers se ponctue en formes lovées, ramassées, énergétiques...
Un hommage à la vitalité humaine et féminine. Elle s'émancipe en lancées linéaires de ballerines animent l'espace, ou encore amoncelle des reliefs souple, terriens, identifiant en matières premières diverses qualités de bronze...
Dociles et bien envisagées, les couleurs enrichissent le métal provoquant fantaisies apparentes, favorisant la lecture colorée et la modification volumétrique, grâce ou jeu tonal le bronze conserve souvent brillance et sa chaleur industrielle.
Cet art dégage savant, spirituel se fonde les équilibres formels et chromatiques, sur la densité des masses et l'importance des ouvertures.
Ne craignant ni la figuration ni l'abstraction, souvent mêlées, l'expression rend hommage à l'amour, à la vie. Le tridimensionnel impose sa présence en vue virtuosité modern qui jamais rompt avec la classicisme. Il joue l'évolution, l'analyse et le développement de pulsions multiples...
Dans la tradition de la recherche et toujours avec élégance.
Michel Gaudet
Critique de l'art
Sociétaire de l'association des critique d'art
Janvier 2010