Calvin Ma : Animal Instincts
Sherrie Gallerie
Calvin Ma received his BA in industrial arts from San Francisco State University in 2007, and his MFA in sculpture from the Academy of Art University in 2012. He has been featured in several publications, including “500 Figures in Clay.” His work is in many private collections, and has been shown in gallery and museum exhibitions across the United States. The artist currently lives and works in San Francisco, CA.
"I utilize the action figure form in my sculptural work to explore personal issues and struggles with social anxiety. As an adult, I face difficulties in the social environment. Meeting new people, being in the company of strangers, crowds, peers and intermittently among friends and family brings about a heightened nervousness that takes over and impedes my ability to function socially. Even as a child I was reserved and apprehensive, so I turned to toys to keep me entertained. I believe the tactile activity of playing with them coupled with my active imagination helped establish this passion for the action figure early on. There was something about picking up your favorite hero or villain and creating stories and adventures that captivated me. It felt only natural to tap into this childlike sense of exploration and storytelling through my artwork." -Calvin Ma