Myles Antony

Myles Antony is an artist known for his delicate watercolour paintings. Much of his work features male models in varying states of undress, and deals with gay themes.

Biography

Myles Antony was born and raised in Dublin, where he studied art under the noted Irish painter Fergus O'Ryan. Whilst still in his teens he moved to London during the swinging sixties. There, he joined the John Stephen Organisation, founders of the Carnaby Street phenomenon, becoming Art Director after a few years. Myles then moved on to Graphic Design, creating TV logos, record sleeves and movie posters. [ [http://www.tomoffinlandfoundation.org/foundation/Events/ev_2006-01-27_Adonis-Art_Antony.htm] Tom of Finland Foundation]

In 1985 he held his first solo exhibition at the Edinburgh Festival. Since then he's exhibited annually at Adonis Art in London and has had exhibitions at the Rob Gallery in Amsterdam and the Mr B. Gallery in Berlin. His works were also selected for exhibition at the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, in 1990. [ [http://www.adonisart.com/store/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=54] Adonis Art Gallery Artist Biographies]

Myles Antony has semi-retired to his native city of Dublin, although he continues to exhibit in London.

Works

Myles Antony is a master of watercolor, working exclusively in this medium. Although he has a following for his beautiful flower paintings, the bulk of his work is openly “gay”. He doesn't simply paint the male form, but gay lifestyles and themes. In his most explicit pictures he depicts sexual arousal and scenes of sex acts, although many of his paintings are less explicit concentrating on the beauty of the male body. Indeed, for some, his figures are “too beautiful” and his work is sometimes dismissed as sentimental. Antony himself insists that his pictures are portraits of real people whom he's encountered on the streets of London and Dublin. [ [http://www.leslielohman.org/newsletter/No11/adonisartists.htm] Issue 11 of the Leslie/Lohman Gay Art Foundation newsletter]

Stewart Hardman, the owner of the Adonis Art Gallery in London spoke about the erotic nature of some Myles Antony paintings in a recent interview. “I define porn as being images that set out to sexually excite the viewer and to stimulate masturbation. However, erotic art covers a vast range of work involving the sensuality of the human body. I don't consider the vast majority of artworks I sell to be pornographic. I doubt they are primarily used to stimulate masturbation. Some artists whose work I sell can be sexually very explicit, some Myles Antony pictures for instance. These are themselves depictions of sexual activity and may well be viewed as pornography. And certainly, from my point of view, I have no wish to prevent people being sexually stimulated if they so want to be.” [ [http://www.outuk.com/content/features/art/index2.html] Stewart Hardman interviewed in OutUK]

He always works from live models or people he's encountered on the streets of London and Dublin.

Exhibitions

* 29 November 2005 to 28 January 2006 "Latest Watercolours" exhibition at the Adonis Art Gallery, London

* 28 November 2006 to 29 December 2006 "Myles Antony Latest Watercolour Paintings" exhibition at the Adonis Art Gallery, London

* 4 December 2007 to 1 February 2008 "Dream Boys" exhibition at the Adonis Art Gallery, London

References

External links

* [http://www.adonisart.com/store/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=54| Adonis Art Gallery]
* [http://www.leslielohman.org/newsletter/No11/adonisartists.htm|The Leslie/Lohman Gay Art Foundation]