Ryan McMenamy

Ryan McMenamy paints seated male figures in graphite and gouache on natural wood panels, enhancing the negative space of the wood grain with soft shadows to represent the topographies of the body. These minimalistic portraits juxtapose the neutral tonalities of the surface with sharp graphic areas of color that subtly denote the subject’s surroundings and clothing. McMenamy locates an essential beauty and simplicity in his materials which foregrounds the quietude of his subjects. A graduate of Parsons School of Design, the artist also draws upon his extensive career as a fashion illustrator—working for brands such as Calvin Klein, Bergdorf Goodman, and H&M—in explorations of the relationship between fashion and image. He lives and works between Provincetown, MA and New York City, where he divides his time between illustration and fine art.