Antony Micallef unveils major new works at GSK Contemporary, 31 Oct - 19 Jan

Exhibition Description:

This autumn the Lazarides artist Antony Micallef will be unveilling a series of major new works as part of GSK Contemporary, a three month season of exhibitions and events at the Royal Academy's Burlington Gardens.

Micallef's grand, four metre high bronze nickel-plated sculptures, The Idol Kids of Today: Burger Boy, Game Boy and Weapon Face and The Beginning of the End will greet visitors to GSK Contemporary in the Burlington Gardens' entrance portico. Parasite (illustrated above) a major new work on canvas by the artist, will be presented in the building's entrance foyer.

Description:

About the Artist: Antony Micallef is undoubtedly one of the UK's most promising young painters. His 2006 show at the Lazarides Gallery in London sold out within 30 minutes of opening, Micallef's work graced the Spring 2007 cover of a Sotheby's Contemporary Sale catalogue, resulting in a bidding war and went on to sell for over three times its estimate. Then in September 2007 his solo show of over 50 paintings, Impure Idols, in the heart of Hollywood, sold out in under two hours to buyers including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Christina Aguilera.

Anthony's beautiful and troubling work examines our dichotomous relationship with consumerism, questioning how we can despise multi-national brands yet still allow ourselves to be seduced by them. He frequently uses the union of two opposites to make an intriguing chemistry. Micallef's practice has been summarized as 'critical pop', exposing the darker side of our consumerist society.

Micallef won the second prize in the BP portrait award at the National Portrait Gallery in London in 2000. Then in 2005 he hosted the biggest international solo exhibition at the National Academy of Fine Art in Bulgaria. In 2006 he exhibited at the Britart/Eyestorm Gallery in Milan; prints from which were also exhibited at the British Embassy in Florence in 2007 alongside works by Damien Hirst and Peter Blake. That same year he showed at the Arcaute Arte Contemporaneo in Monterrey, Mexico and in the shows Stench and It's A Wonderful World at Lazarides Gallery.

Back in 2006 Micallef's work showed alongside that of Tracey Emin and Marc Quinn in the Mystery portrait exhibition at the NPG to celebrate its 150th anniversary. He was also invited to produce a limited edition print for the 50th anniversary of the Curwen Studio. This will be on show in October at Tate Britain alongside work by Paula Rego. Micallef's works were also shown at a Lazarides group show, The Outsiders, in New York in September this year and a rolling exhibition of the same name is currently on show at the London Charing Cross space. Micallef lives and works in the UK.

Image: Antony Micallef
Parasite, 2008
Courtesy of the artist and Lazarides Gallery
Copyright: Antony Micallef, 2008

Full Contact Details:

6 Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy of Arts
London W1S 3EX