NEW YORK, April 16, 2009 — What is America's obsession with sweets all about? We eat more than 10 billion doughnuts a year. We are the world's top consumer of ice cream, with each of us eating more than 23 quarts of this frozen delight annually. And, the United States eats three billion dollars worth of chocolate every year, equaling more than 12 pounds of the "food of the gods" per person. We also eat 13 pounds of other types of candy. That's a lot of Circus Peanuts! We seem to be hardwired with a desire to eat sweets.
Artist Peter Anton explores America's overwhelming passion for treats in his solo exhibition "SWEETLIFE" at the Allan Stone Gallery in New York City, which opens May 2, 2009.
"SWEETLIFE" will feature Anton's realistic larger-than-life sculptures of some of our favorite confections, including boxes of chocolates, ice cream bars, an ice cream cone, a chocolate-dipped strawberry, Circus Peanuts, and an ice cream sundae. The exhibition will also include a giant box of doughnuts that measures 27" x 36" x 6". The mixed media sculptures are created using a variety of materials including plaster, wood, metal, resin, clay and acrylic.
"Food brings people together and there is no better way to celebrate life," says Anton. "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 activate the hunger people have for the things that give them pleasure and force them to surrender. The sensual nature of the work stimulates basic human needs and desires that generate cravings and passion."
Peter Anton's work has been featured in solo exhibitions in the United States and abroad, including Galerie Terminus in Munich; the Henri Gallery in Washington, D.C.; Galerie Adler Bertin-Toublanc in Miami; and the Hammer Galleries, Russeck Gallery, and the Bruce R. Lewin Gallery in New York City. He has participated in group exhibitions in museums and galleries including the Austin Museum of Art in Texas; the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, New York; the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut; and the Castellani Art Museum in Niagara, New York. In addition, he was represented by Galerie Terminus at the Korean International Art Fair, Art Cologne, the Palm Beach Fine Art Fair, the Venice International Art Fair, and the Salzburg World Fine Art Fair. He was also represented at the Hong Kong Art Fair by Galerie Levy, the Toronto International Art Fair and Art Bodensee by the Davis-Klemm Gallery, and the Allan Stone Gallery at Art Basel Miami Beach. Anton's work is in numerous private, public, and corporate collections including those of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, the Oppenheim Bank, Breitling Watches, Raymond James Financial, Perfetti Van Melle, Sir Howard Stringer, Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, the Jordanian Royal Family, and Lord Norman Foster.
Additional information about Peter Anton and his work can be found at http://www.peteranton.com . A video clip of his exhibition at the American International Art Fair can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkUCgBzql2U .
"SWEETLIFE" runs from May 2 to June 19, 2009. The Allan Stone Gallery is located at 113 E. 90th Street in New York City. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Allan Stone Gallery opened in 1960 showing works by Wayne Thiebaud, Richard Estes, Cesar, Eva Hesse, Joseph Cornell, Andy Warhol and John Chamberlain.
Photos:
Peter Anton with VIBRANT SELECTION; 36 x 24 x 5 inches; mixed media; 2008
http://www.pressreleaseheadlines.com/2009-Peter-Anton.jpg
Artist Peter Anton assembles his "boxed doughnuts sculpture." The mixed media piece titled "BOXED DOUGHNUTS" measures 27 x 36 x 5.5 inches and was created in 2009 for his upcoming exhibition in NYC.
http://www.pressreleaseheadlines.com/2009-Peter-Anton2.jpg
Contact:
Peter Anton, Email , Tel: 1.203.453.8891
Claudia Stone, Email , Tel: 1.212.987.4997
# # #