Ryan McGinley (b. 1977) is arguably the most renowned photographer of his generation. In 2003 at 25 years of age, McGinley became the youngest artist to ever have a solo show at the Whitney.
Over the past two decades, McGinley has proven himself to be the successor to both Nan Goldin and Larry Clark with a unique documentary style that portrays the idealisms and realities of a generation. His work captures the optimism, rebellion and hedonism experienced by friends and lovers in and around New York City. Artists like the late Dash Snow and Dan Colen regularly make appearances in his images.
In 2012, McGinley presented Animals, a striking departure from his earlier work that nonetheless extends his lifelong inquiry into presence and freedom. For this series he traveled to zoos, sanctuaries, and rescue organizations across the United States, erecting a mobile studio where exotic creatures—everything from birds and goats to monkeys and donkeys—interacted with nude human models against colored backdrops.
McGinley let the encounters unfold organically, placing people and animals together and capturing the unpredictable emotional resonances that emerge between them. The result is at once humorous, tender, and slightly surreal, a body of work that reframes the human figure through the strangeness and beauty of nonhuman subjects.
"Richard (Donkey)" shows a raw and tender moment, in which human and animal are captured exactly as they are. Richard's head rests gently on the donkey's side as he stares into the camera. His limbs melt into the animal, as it burrows its head into him. With a mysterious background and a dribble of blood, this work evokes themes of mythology.Â
While McGinley established his photographic reputation in the early 2000s, he has gradually evolved into one of the most sought-after portrait photographers. Today, his work regularly appears in magazines including Vanity Fair and the New York Times magazine.Â
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"Richard (Donkey)"
USA, 2012
Chromogenic color print mounted to plexiglass
Edition 2 of 3
13.25"H 20"W (work)
14.25"H 21"W (framed)
Very good condition
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