John Currin

A richly illustrated monograph, John Currin traces the artist’s evolution from his irreverent early works to the technically masterful, socially charged paintings that define his career. Featuring essays by Norman Bryson, Dave Eggers, and Alison M. Gingeras, the book explores Currin’s ability to blend classical technique with biting satire, often straddling the line between beauty and grotesque exaggeration. Designed in collaboration with Pandiscio Green, the publication reflects the artist’s duality—exquisitely crafted yet subversively humorous—making it an essential volume on one of contemporary art’s most compelling and provocative figures.

Currin again enlisted us to design John Currin: Men, the catalogue accompanying his 2019 retrospective at the Dallas Contemporary, marking his first museum show in 15 years. The exhibition examined a lesser-known aspect of his practice—his portraits of men—revealing an unexpected vulnerability and self-reflection within his work. Featuring over 100 images spanning paintings, drawings, and studies, the book captures Currin’s fascination with masculinity, theatricality, and art historical archetypes. The collaboration between artist and designer resulted in a publication that echoes the show’s conceptual depth, offering an intimate and complex look at Currin’s singular approach to figuration.