Opening reception: May 19th, 6-8pm
Michael Kohn Gallery is
pleased to present its first
solo show with Ryan
McGinness, which will
include important pieces
from several bodies of work
along with new paintings.
McGinness is known for his
bold and refreshing
paintings and installations
that layer contemporary
iconography to underscore
the artist’s commentary on
language, history, and
symbolism. Re-imagining
our world as a series of
graphic icons, McGinness
layers and collages these
images to create complex
and sophisticated paintings
that shed light on our
contemporary world.
Boldly colorful and slick, McGinness deftly merges together digital techniques with more
traditional crafts like silk screening and painting. Often likened to Andy Warhol,
McGinness has developed a unique visual language to reflect on pop culture and the
society in which we live.
Ryan McGinness grew up in Virginia Beach and was greatly influenced by the signs and
signifiers that defined skate and surf culture. He received his BFA from Carnegie Mellon
University and then moved to Manhattan, where he continues to live and work.
McGinness has shown internationally and has been included in many museum
exhibitions at such highly prestigious institutions as the Museum of Modern Art, New
York, the Saatchi Gallery at the Academy of Arts in London, PS1/MOMA in New York,
and the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, among many others. McGinness has guest lectured
extensively in the United States, and his works have been acquired by many of the most
important collections and museums in the world.