K a n z i

by

A.Duval

Who’s Kanzi?

Andy Duval (Kanzi)

My name is Andy Duval (aka Kanzi/A. Plattner), welcome to my world of art! I was born in Munich, Bavaria in 1963 and spent most of my childhood there as well as at Lake Garda in Italy. I went to school at the Rudolf Steiner School located in the art district of Munich in Schwabing. During the 1970’s one of the most famous art stores was located right at the steps of the Academy of Art (Akademie der Bildenden Künste München). This store was quite convenient for me as it was owned by my family, meaning I was very much born into my profession and discovered my passions from a very early age. After school I would spend most of my time there either doing homework or helping stretching canvases and discussing art and techniques with the massive flocks of students shopping or trading artworks for raw matierals they needed to create new ones.

As I progressed in age I spent much of my time in the Art Academy from Professor Seeger Munich (today called “Freie Kunstwerkstatt München”). Many of those older students withwhom I interacted with in the store later became renowned artists themselves as well as professors at the Academy of Art. I myself was then asked to join the Academy in the mid 80’s so that I could fully immerse myself in the world of art without any other distractions so I may further develop my skills and expand my knowlege, studying there with Professor Senft, Tauer, Paul Morro, Page etc. to name a few. I was advised to work hands on with as many other artists as possible as well as to join lectures. Although I was not the most consistent student, Professors sometimes being frustrated with my absense and will to do things in my own way, I always aimed to present my art through a new light and energy, redefining and transforming myself to find a new path in the art world, a kind of art morph.

I simultanously became the private apprentice and master student to the world renowned artist Ingfried Henze (Morró), painting and learning from his skills predominantly in Italy. During this time I would have classified myself as an Impressionist, working on countless comissions whereby the motifs would be mainly still-lifes in the form of landscapes and flowers arrangements, the main medium used being Oil. I then decided to take a year to travel and study art in Brazil in 1987 in Rio de Janeiro, finding inspiration in the syncretic cultures which the country is composed of.

All of these experiences have had a positive influence on my vision and understanding of art, shaping me into who and what I am.

In the mid 1990’s I decided to move to the U.S., living throughout Florida, Utah, and Colorado for nearly 20 years. This allowed me to dive into the cultures of the true Americans, the Native American tribes, which inspired me to create several installations and sculptures in the shapes of totems during my time in Utah and Colorado, using only natural materials such as wood, stone, and animal bones, some of which were exhibited inside while others were placed into nature itself. The southern Floridian landscape also inspired me, being reflected by painitngs in which I experimented with bold and bright colors and shapes, mirroring the tropical scenery of what many call paradise. If you astart as a free spirit, every painting will be unique and never a copy (twins are only created if both works are started and finished simultaniously.

Throughout the years I experiemented with various different styles and mediums, being inspired by the cultures I have encountered during my travels, including those found in not only the U.S. and Brazil, but as well as South-East Asia, southern Africa, and Australia. Today i would classify myself as more of an Expressionist, I mainly focus on creating paintings with oil and acrylic, experimenting and being inspired by the concept of playing with light, whereby several different versions of the same painting may be evoked. My motifs vary, ranging from those inspired by nature (plants and animals), landscapes, more abstract, as well as experimenting with the idea of the erotic.

Early on when I still classified myself as an Impressionist I would sign my works as Andy Duval, but throughout the years I have experimented with various other artistic names, my works are therefore either signed with one or more of the following three; Andy Duval, Kanzi, or A. Plattner.

One of my goals with many of my paintings is to try to create works which you will find multiple uses for in the sense that it should be able to hang in the dining room and fit the style of a fine dinner, but also make a good impression for the upcoming after party, hence why I enjoy experimenting with the idea of playing with different light sources and the effect they are able to achieve.

My artworks refect my emotions during various stages of my life and I believe each artwork is free to be interpreted as each individual does, there is no right or wrong. If you would like a specific date of when and where I have studied throughout my artistic career, as well as would like some more information about me, please do not hesitate to contact me! And if you have a vision of an artwork I could create, let me know!

Art is fun, art is expression, be creative with mine, I create it just for you to see the world like it is, the fantastic sphere floating in the universe which we call home!