Pop culture, nostalgia and familiarity: Sam McKinniss in LA

Sam McKinniss goes back to basics when sourcing inspiration for his paintings, by seeking out defining pop culture moments and interpreting them through oils on linen. In his first solo exhibition, ‘The Perfect Tense’ at David Kordansky Gallery in Los Angeles, McKinniss presents a series of paintings that are based on pre-existing images found online.

Sam McKinniss presents ‘The Perfect Tense’ at David Kordansky Gallery

As the title of the exhibition suggests, this painted series draws on the past – what has been, and what things once were.

The concept is simple – the paintings reference scenes from popular culture past, from a grinning portrait of Tiger Woods to the cast of the television series Friends – yet the works are cleverly layered with feelings of nostalgia, familiarity and humour.

In a world of ever-more AI-generated imagery, McKinniss' use of a conventional medium (oil paints) to reinterpret pre-existing photographs found online strips away pretence and goes back to a practice that is taught in art schools. However, McKinniss' work is a far cry from elementary. With utmost skill, he balances authenticity and individuality, creating a series that taps into the feeling of what it is to be human.

The artworks are displayed in a way that triggers contrasting emotions in the viewer. Julia Roberts captured in a moment of surprise is hung near a double-portrait of Mark and Patricia McCloskey, of the so-called St Louis gun-toting incident.

Minnesota-born McKinniss plays with light and depth, layering oils to create rich, saturated colours, but also with a sense of heat – the protagonists of many paintings radiate warmth. Yet, the portrait of singer-songwriter Fiona Apple delivers the contrary, with an ice-cold, watery feel. By zooming out of her iconic Tidal album cover, McKinniss has created an image that is easily recognisable, yet completely undiscovered.

Negative space is a core dimension in the artist's work, and it further highlights the intricate detail of tone, depth and colour theory, bringing the subject to the foreground with ease, and grounding the viewer in the moment.

‘The Perfect Tense’ also includes a series of landscape paintings that captures the changing seasons. The viewer is taken on a evocative journey, from the visually tactile lake where an elegant black swan gently ripples through glassy water, to Washington state’s grand Cascade Pass, which is portrayed as incredibly remote, yet comfortable and calming. McKinniss’ urgency in his portrayal of a forest fire is all the more poignant in the context of the recent LA fires.

In an ever-changing, digitally focused landscape, McKinniss’ paintings offer a welcome moment of recognition and familiarity, while leaving the viewer to their own interpretation and emotions.

Sam McKinniss, ‘The Perfect Tense’ is at David Kordansky Gallery in Los Angeles until 23 February 2025