Artist 1: Peter Anton
Peter Anton in his studio
surrounded by sculptures for an upcoming exhibition in New York City. By: Robert Wilde
Peter Anton, born in 1963 in New
Haven, Connecticut, is a sculptor who makes gigantic life-like sculptures of
food products. At his first solo exhibition in New York in 1995 he showed 70
larger-than-life fruits and vegetables, but has more recently been working with
the foods that people really crave—sweets. He is best known for his chocolate
boxes, but also builds massive popsicles, donuts, and candy hearts using a wide
array of mediums to replicate their textures.
By creating
works that convincingly portray sweet treats, Anton is able to capture his
audience quickly. He is interested in people’s affection for food, and the way
that food can bring people together and spread joy. In his artist statement, Anton says, “I
like to create art that can lure, charm, tease, disarm and surprise. My
sculptures put viewers in a vulnerable state so that I can communicate with
their inner selves in a more honest and direct way. I activate the hunger
people have for the things that give them pleasure and force them to
surrender.”
I
love the symbolism that Anton finds in food. The need for sustenance and the
craving for pleasure are things that every person can instantly relate to. His
work forces his audience to feel something and to re-think the nature of needs
and desires within themselves. Plus, OH MY GOD THEY’RE SO BEAUTIFUL!
DARK CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM BAR, 65 x 23 x 9 inches, mixed
media, 2007
DARK CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM BAR, 65 x 23 x 9 inches, mixed
media, 2007
BOXED DONUTS, 27 x 36 x 5.5 inches, mixed media, 2012
PINK CONFETTI CAKE, 51 x 40 x 40 inches, mixed media, 2012
SPILLED SUNDAE 15 x 40 x 24 inches, mixed media, 2009
(*SEE ABOVE)
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