Human Being Journal 4: An Interview with Ryan McGinness

“I wanted to study design as opposed to art because I appreciated the discipline behind it...because it seemed like a more intellectual pursuit.”

Ryan McGinness is a New York-based visual artist whose large scale paintings draw heavy influence from the surf and skate culture of his hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Known for his intricately layered pieces, McGinness weaves together the visual language of contemporary iconography, corporate logos, and public signage, creating abstract pieces that have established him as one of the most popular artists of his generation.

Partnering with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, we stepped inside Ryan’s studio to talk to the artist about the evolution of his work. This is the video we created while interviewing him for the fourth issue of Human Being Journal.