Istvan Kantor

Biography

Better known as Monty Cantsin–founder of Neoism–Kantor/Cantsin immigrated from Hungary to Canada in 1976. In collaboration with correspondence artist David Zack, Kantor launched the Monty Cantsin open-pop-star project in 1978 in Portland, Oregon. He initiated both the international operations of Neoism and his major lifelong performance “Blood Campaign” in 1979 in Montreal. In 1986 Kantor/Cantsin relocated his headquarters to New York City to re-emerge as “self-appointed leader of the people of the Lower East Side.” He has been arrested and imprisoned several times for his spontaneous interventions in museums, including the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the National Gallery of Canada (Ott...