John Currin
1962–
Since beginning to paint in the late 1980s, John Currin has remained exclusively engaged with the practice of figurative painting—specifically portraiture. He came to prominence during the 1990s with a body of work comprised of single and group portraits, frequently containing sexualized, even campy imagery and drawing on influences as varied as Old Master painting and fashion imagery. During this period Currin emerged as part of a larger group of painters, including Luc Tuymans and Elizabeth Peyton, who were revitalizing the practice of figuration and portraiture.
Around 1990 Currin began to make paintings of women depicted alone against monochromatic backgrounds, often basing his portraits on found photographs that he would modify into invented compositions. As the artist has said of these figures, “The people I paint don’t exist. The only thing that’s real is the painting.” For Skinny Woman, one of a group of portraits of older women, Currin began with a photograph of a Twyla Tharp dancer, borrowing the figure’s dramatic, contrapposto pose but drastically modifying the original image. Currin routinely draws from his immediate surroundings— in this instance incorporating the clothing he was wearing in the studio while working on the painting. He also frequently includes elements of his own body in the portraits, explaining that “I incorporate my face, hands, and backs in the figures. . . . I basically project myself onto everything rather than reveal a lot about other people.”
Introduction
John Currin (born 1962) is an American painter based in New York City. He is most recognised for his technically proficient satirical figurative paintings that explore controversial sexual and societal topics. His work shows a wide range of influences, including sources as diverse as the Renaissance, popular culture magazines, and contemporary fashion models. He often distorts or exaggerates the erotic forms of the female body, and has stressed that his characters are reflections of himself rather than inspired by real people.
Wikidata identifier
Q707675
Information from Wikipedia, made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License . Accessed July 9, 2025.
Introduction
Known for his surreal or comedic paintings of female figures, often mimicking or referencing Italian and Northern Renaissance images. He employs oil painting techniques of previous centuries. He was included in the 2000 Whitney Biennial.
Country of birth
United States
Roles
Artist, painter
ULAN identifier
500114618
Names
John Currin
Information from the Getty Research Institute's Union List of Artist Names ® (ULAN), made available under the ODC Attribution License. Accessed July 9, 2025.
