Artists
Kennedy Yanko’s ‘Treasure Hunts’ Take Her From Scrap Yards to the Streets of Paris
Yanko took us behind the scenes of her creative process ahead of debuting new work with James Cohan Gallery at Frieze London.
Katie White
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Kennedy Yanko is in search of the sublime.
The American artist is known for her rhythmic abstract works made from salvaged metal and paint skins; these creations hover enchantingly between sculpture and painting and have a visceral presence. The metal for the works Yanko culls from scrap yards from Bushwick to Amsterdam herself. Paint skins, meanwhile, are a medium specific to the artist. These ‘skins’ are sheaths of latex paint that become fabric-like, draping through and over bending, twirling, and writhing metal forms.
Elegant and tensile, the sculptures hold a balletic sense of propulsion that echoes the bodily choreography Yanko enacts to create them. It is laborious and physical work that involves welding, bending, and twisting metal. In many ways, Yanko’s works are deeply rooted in art history, pulling from the legacies of Abstract Expressionism, Action, and Color Field Painting.
Over the past five years, the artist has risen to the fore of the art world with these sought-after creations. She was a 2021 Rubell Museum artist-in-residence and has had solo exhibitions with Salon 94, Vielmetter Los Angeles, Kavi Gupta, and Jeffrey Deitch.
Represented by James Cohan Gallery in collaboration with Salon 94, since June of this year, Yanko is now set to debut a new group of her genre-defying works at Frieze London later this October, in a two-artist presentation alongside the works of painter Jesse Mockrin. These works, named after wildflowers, will tread into new, and yet familiar, territory for the artist.
Ahead of the fair, Yanko took us behind the scenes, from the streets of Paris to Amsterdam scrap yards, and gave us a glimpse of how she works and stays inspired.
Kennedy Yanko in a scrap metal yard. Courtesy the artist.
The works I’m debuting at Frieze London with James Cohan have been a long time in the making. These pieces—mostly smaller scale and named after wildflowers—mark both a full circle moment and a first in my practice: I’m back to painting, but I’m painting on paint skins. It’s been exhilarating, which I think comes through in the palette and feeling of experimentation.
My creative process starts in the scrap yards, this is where the work begins. For me, searching for metal is intuitive, almost like being led blindly. I’m not sure exactly what’s going to happen, what I am going to find. It’s a process of trust and a little bit like a treasure hunt.
When I am in the yard, I have to make very quick decisions. The terrain is muddy, smoky, and there’s usually a fire burning somewhere. The scrap metal is piled 30 feet high and large trucks with magnets are swinging metal around. It can feel quite dangerous and a little apocalyptic. It’s an arduous process and the level of adrenaline that pumps through your body is intense.
When I look for metal in the yards, I start with color. When you look at my sculptures, the color you see is typically true to the found material. If the source material is distressed, then that material quality will show up in the final work.
Kennedy Yanko in Amsterdam constructing By means other than the known senses (2022). Courtesy of the artist.
This picture was taken in Amsterdam. I moved my studio there while I was creating By means other than the known senses, which was exhibited at Art Basel Unlimited in 2022.
This work was my largest to date, made from a truly monumental shipping container that I crunched and reformed into a large-scale hanging structure. The scale was exhilarating but it forced me to work outside of my usual logistic constraints. The title for the artwork, By means other than the known senses, is a nod to the process of its making. I had to rely on means outside of myself, outside of my comfort zone and known ability, to bring this piece to life.
In this picture, I am standing inside a crane on site in Amsterdam. It was huge, I have never seen a crane this large, let alone stood inside one!
Kennedy Yanko in Paris. Courtesy of the artist. Photo by Darrel Hunter..
In this picture I am in Paris, my friend, photographer Darrel Hunter, took this picture.
Paris is a place I keep returning to. It fills me up and has become a second home. I have conceived of a lot of art in this city, it’s a real source of inspiration and creativity that often feels electric! For me, Paris is a great place to play, as well as work. I receive joy from the clothes, the architecture, and the culture. I see fashion, in particular, as a form of sculpture, a feast for the eyes.
Kennedy Yanko on a panel honoring Richard Hunt. Courtesy of the artist.
I draw a lot of inspiration from learning and by being in conversation with others – particularly speaking with scholars and stewards of the arts. Here, I am participating in a panel discussion commemorating the life and work of the brilliant Richard Hunt.
I wanted to pay homage to Richard Hunt; I was deeply moved by his artistic sensibility and ability to evoke feelings of animation and liveliness in his sculptures. It was a pleasure to speak alongside great thinkers and curators such as Thelma Golden and LeRonn P. Brooks. Together, we participated in an audio series produced by White Cube on Hunt’s life and creative output.
It was special to come together in person on this occasion. The panel was hosted by Pamela Joyner and Fred Giuffrida. I always walk away from these conversations with an expanded conception of history and possible new ways of making.
Kennedy Yanko in Whit Harris’s studio. Courtesy of the artist.
I feel similarly about visiting artists’ studios. Being in the company of other artists can clear the cobwebs and provide new perspectives. Many of my friends are artists so it’s also an opportunity to catch up and learn about what’s happening in each other’s lives and practices. Here I am with my great friend and collaborator J Wortham visiting Whit Harris’ studio.
Welcome to Source Material, where artists share their creative journeys beyond the confines of the studio. From hunting down frescos in Florence to chasing storms in Cornwall, we explore the eclectic sources of inspiration that fuel artists’ imagination.
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