Michael Anderson

Michael Anderson is an artist living and working in Auckland, New Zealand. He graduated from Hungry Creek Art School in 2011 with an interest in action painting and abstract expressionism. Michael paints primarily on plywood using oil and water based house paints, sometimes incorporating foil, wood offcuts or chunks of dried paint, often exposing the ply underneath with polyurethane. Paintings are always done on the floor, often composed in a thick pool of poured polyurethane. He uses dripping and pouring, with an eye for material interactions, waiting for the paint to reach a certain viscosity for the desired effect to take place. Michael has exhibited in solo and group shows throughout the Auckland region since 2012.

5 Minutes, 5 Questions

Do you have a favourite colour?

No, but I am obsessed with mixing viridian and lamp black to create something that appears black but then bleeds green as it mixes in the painting. I like the way it behaves and interacts with my other paints more than just as a colour.

How do you take your coffee?

Plunger with milk

Is there something you can’t live without in your studio?

My paint respirator for when I’m working with polyurethane and oils.

Who is your favourite artist of all time + now? Why?

Of all time is tricky, so many good artists but probably Helen Frankenthaler, one of the first to really engage with pouring paint. Contemporary is Dale Frank, a true master of his materials.

5 words that explain you or your art

Process, materiality, dissipation, time, melted composition.