Ryan McGinley
Ryan McGinley
Ryan McGinleyis an American photographer living in New York City. McGinley began making photographs in 1998. In 2003, at the age of 25, he was one of the youngest artists to have a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art. He was also named Photographer of the Year in 2003 by American Photo Magazine. In 2007, McGinley was awarded the Young Photographer Infinity Award by the International Center of Photography. In 2009, he was honored at The Young...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPhotographer
Date of Birth17 October 1977
CityRamsey, NJ
CountryUnited States of America
I have absolutely no interest in creating depressing images.
I know that my mind is so A.D.D., and I want instant gratification - and photography can provide me with that - but at some point, I want to make an independent feature.
It's weird being a photographer because you really have to divorce yourself from the image.
I'm interested in reaching the masses with my work. It's one of my goals.
I went through a pretty big David Bowie period when I was younger, and that has affected me profoundly in my life and my work.
Everyone I'm photographing, I feel like I'm remaking a family, in a way. My brothers and sisters are my heroes. So many of my models resemble them.
All I do is make photos. It's my life.
I'm always interested in an atmosphere where dreams and reality mingle on equal terms.
I've been attracted to Kate Moss since I was a teenager.
Most of the e-mails I get nowadays are from students who ask me how I got my start. In truth its from having a really supportive family but also having a good patron who will help you - like financing all those early trips I took.
I'm just a photographer, not a movie star.
I'm making the art for me first. I'm making it because these are the pictures I want to see. I'm making pictures that don't yet exist.
All my work, really, is based on my brothers and sisters. I had so many adventures with them and a big part of the work is to recreate those. It's easy for me to be around a lot of people, because I can retreat. I can watch everything.
Just having the camera, being able to pull back from situations and be an observer, it saved my life... I realised I could find these intimate moments and that people trusted me. That, basically, my camera was magic.