Sam McKinniss

The artist’s debut monograph delves into his vibrant paintings, capturing pop culture icons with wit and pathos.

Drawing inspiration from iconic figures and imagery from popular media, press photos, and other artworks, McKinniss transforms familiar images of bold-faced names—including Leonardo DiCaprio, Michelle Pfeiffer, Whitney Houston, Dolly Parton, Britney Spears, Halle Berry, Joan Didion, Lil Nas X, and Mariah Carey, to name a few—into strikingly original works. By reinterpreting snapshots of celebrities and working with images with an inbuilt cultural power, McKinniss infuses them with a new layer of depth and significance—making them more powerful, expressive, and ambiguous. His portraits are not mere copies but rather captured moments of collective memory, heightened with emotion and drama.

Transitioning from painting friends to internet-sourced imagery, McKinniss taps into emotional wells sublimated within the drama of entertainment, theater, pageantry, presentation, fashion, and glamour in his work. Oscillating between being a fan and an idol, McKinniss illustrates complex roles and identities existing in his art.

Sam McKinniss (b. 1985) works and lives in Brooklyn, New York, and Kent, Connecticut. His figurative paintings are most often sourced from popular culture, the entertainment industry, sports, and the internet. Natasha Stagg is a writer and editor based in New York City. Jarrett Earnest is a writer and curator based in New York City. He is the author of What It Means to Write About Art: Interviews with Art Critics (David Zwirner Books, 2018) and Valid Until Sunset (MATTE Editions, 2023).