Quick Facts
Biography
Michael Malpass (1946-1991) was an American artist, specializing in large metal sculptures.
Life
Michael Malpass was born in New York. In 1965 he began the study of fine arts at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. He gravitated toward sculpture. He was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War. While stationed in Berlin, he painted oils (using scavenged materials), primarily portraits of living artists.
After his military term, Malpass took a position as Instructor of Welding & Forge at Pratt Institute, while completing an MFA degree.
Exhibitions
Malpass' first exhibition was in 1977, a solo show at The Betty Parsons Gallery in Manhattan.
In March 1979 his work was featured on the cover of ARTnews magazine.
Examples of his work are found in public and private collections across the country.
Sculpture
Malpass focused his metal sculptures on spherical shapes, primarily using found metal objects. He would often say, “The sphere is the most perfect form. It is efficient, for example, with the most volume for the least surface area.”
He introduced a body of work which he called “Chickenmen”. These sculptures were reviewed in ART news in May 1984.