In this episode, artist Richard Phillips sits down with Carrie Scott to talk everything from his meteoric rise after being featured on Gossip Girl, to being 'cancelled' and the abrupt closure of his show at Gagosian. From his unconventional creative process and willingness to destroy seemingly finished works to why he believes today's artists are creating from a place of fear - Richard reminds us that we can't always believe what we hear or see on the internet.
Richard Phillips is an American artist known for large-scale photorealistic paintings that often depict women sourced from fashion magazines and gossip publications. After receiving his BFA from Massachusetts College of Art in 1984 and MFA from Yale School of Art in 1986, Phillips worked as an art handler at the Guggenheim Museum before establishing his painting career. His glossy, hyperrealistic style transforms mass media imagery into fine art, with the artist stating that "fashion is not separate from art" when describing his approach to appropriating commercial source material.
From Carrie: "Perhaps my expectations were low. But I left so happy to have met this man, and indeed happy to have seen his work in person. His facility, and agenda are both extraordinary. His art speaks to the complexities of modern life, exploring themes of celebrity, consumerism, and the intersection of art and popular culture. And I think the art world needs Richard right now. Even if we don’t really want to look at how ugly that side of things can be."
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