People of Style — Frank Michael

“The burst of creativity and colour is just amazing to me,” says artist and photographer Frank Michael on the subject of graffiti. “You either love it or you hate it, and I have always loved it.”

By photographing graffiti, the Toronto native has found a way to bring an underappreciated art form to the forefront. But Michael doesn’t capture just any graffiti. He has become known for his representations of the compelling messages that covered the monumental Berlin Wall, of which he found in various cities after the wall came crumbling down in 1989, leaving scattered remnants around the globe. “It’s a way for me to bring something urban, beautiful and interesting into people’s lives and homes, while reminding them of a historical movement,” he says.

Representing the victory of the human spirit over adversity, the wall has been a powerful inspiration for Michael, and has come to define him as an artist. “I try to include the creativity of the original artist and kind of transcend their original intent as well,” explains Michael. “With a lot of my pieces, you may not initially appreciate that what you’re looking at is actually graffiti, and for me, that is an interesting, symbolic representation of what I am trying to communicate”

For Michael – a pharmacist-turned artist, who first discovered his flair for photography at 13, when his father gave him his used camera – art is liberating. “It’s the ability to have unbridled freedom of expression, to see something in my mind and be able to display and express it in my own way, without any limits or preconceived ideas on what it’s supposed to look like,” he says.

With only five years in the public sphere, the creative visionary has already made quite a name for himself. In fact, Michael’s art was displayed at the recent MTV Movie Awards, where Hollywood celebrities were invited to admire and even take home some of his most valued pieces. As well, he will soon be a published author in the series Wake Up Live the Life You Love by Steven E, due out in the spring.

An urban artist who loves the planet, meditates and knows how to dress, Frank Michael epitomizes style. “Lenny Kravitz and Johnny Depp are men who have flair, and they aren’t afraid to express themselves, which is pretty cool,” says Michael about his style icons. Not surprisingly, Michael’s own definition of style is paying attention to detail and being open to doing things a bit differently. “A stylish person is someone who mixes aspects of the past with a modern perspective,” he says. “And that’s the way I see my own work – rooted in a historical context, but with a new and modern spin. History does not repeat itself, but often rhymes.”

When Michael isn’t travelling the globe to find new inspirations for his work, you can find him at home relaxing with his wife and two small children, Ryan and Kayla. “My dolce vita would be finding a secluded ocean-front property in Maui – living totally off the grid, with solar panels, wind turbines and spectacular views of the ocean,” he says. “Of course, I’d also want the ability to travel to other places, but I’d always return to that place of peace and serenity.”

Dolce: What do you do to relax?
Frank: Meditate, read books on philosophy and spirituality

Dolce: Favourite artist?
Frank: Andy Warhol and Peter Lik

Dolce: Favourite vacation spot?
Frank: Maui, Hawaii

Dolce: What do you love most about Toronto?
Frank: It’s such a multicultural city with a vibrant art scene, and it’s a great place to raise a family.

www.frankmichael-art-design.com