John Currin

[1] His work shows a wide range of influences, including sources as diverse as the Renaissance, popular culture magazines, and contemporary fashion models.

In Connecticut as a teenager he studied painting privately with a renowned and traditionally trained artist from Odesa, Ukraine, Lev Meshberg.

At White Columns in New York City in 1989 he exhibited a series of portraits of young girls derived from the photographs in a high school yearbook, and initiated his efforts to distill art from traditionally clichéd subjects.

In the 1990s, when political themed art works were favored, Currin brazenly used bold depictions of busty young women, mustachioed men and asexual divorcés, setting him apart from the rest.

However, he has stated "[W]hen I met Rachel I felt that I could connect with some principles that moved my art along, that I had some freedom from the petty things in my own personality."

[20] Specific images published by Color Climax Corporation have been identified as sources for Currin's more pornographic paintings, including compositions and small details.