Istvan Kantor

Istvan Kantor (also known as Monty Cantsin, the founder of Neoism), is the recepient of the 2004 Governor General's Award for Visual and Media Arts. He is an action based media artist/subvertainer/producer, active in performance, robotics, mixed-media, installation, painting, sound, music, video and new media. His main subjects are the decay of technology and the struggle of the individual in a technological society. His work has been described as intellectually rebellious, anti-authoritarian, technically innovative and highly experimental. His radically changing creative ambitions are always related to his living environment and social situation. He has been arrested and jailed many times for his “blood-x interventions” in museums. Kantor was born in Budapest where he studied medical science. In 1976, at age 26, he defected to Paris and from there emigrated to Montreal. Besides his individual work he is bandleader/singer of the Red Arm Band, founder-member of MachineSexActionGroup and the Kantor Family Circus.

www.istvankantor.com