In an interview conducted by Einar Falur Ingólfsson, the American artist William Anthony spoke about his long-standing artistic practice in connection with an exhibition with Danish artist Anne Bennike. Anthony described his drawings as satirical rather than cartoonish, emphasizing their ironic engagement with society, the art world, and history. While his figures might appear awkward or deliberately clumsy, he framed this as a conscious artistic strategy rather than a lack of skill.

Anthony reflected on how his characteristic style emerged in the early 1960s while he was teaching at an art school. By observing and collecting his students’ repeated mistakes—particularly in drawing hands—he began to see expressive and narrative potential in imperfection. What started as a pedagogical exercise gradually became central to his own work, eventually overtaking his earlier, more conventional style.

In the interview, Anthony positioned himself in relation to an informal artistic tendency he referred to as “funk,” linking his work to a broader interest in human behavior and social observation rather than formal refinement. He also discussed recurring themes in his drawings, including reinterpretations of famous artworks and reflections rooted in childhood memories, especially those shaped by growing up in the United States during and after the Second World War.

Anthony stressed that humor played a key role in his work, but without cruelty or malice. He expressed pleasure in exhibiting alongside Anne Bennike, noting a strong artistic affinity despite their age difference, and described their collaborative drawing process as an intuitive exchange. The interview presented Anthony as an artist whose seemingly simple and humorous imagery was grounded in decades of reflection on history, memory, and the human condition.

William Anthony and Anne Bennike in conversation during their collaboration at Galleri Kambur.

Anthony and Bennike drawing installation at Galleri Kambur, 2003.

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