Words and Photographs by Ryan McGinley
Ryan McGinley has made a name for himself in the art world by capturing subjects in their element—or rather, the elements—presenting images that showcase the human spirit at its most authentic, entirely unabashed and uninhibited.
Since I was a teenage skater, we would always say “act natural” when we’d see a cop roll by. Nowadays, when my team is outdoors photographing someone nude and a park ranger cruises by, our model quickly hides, and I’ll tell my assistants, “act natural.” We always giggle after they roll by.
As a photographer, all I’ve ever wanted my subjects to be is natural. My job is to find that authentic moment where you feel their spirit—a person’s soul is natural. I’m searching for a picture without affectation or pretense, something that feels candid or off the cuff, or in simple words, “natural.” Ryan McGinley
This article appears in Volume 01: Neo-Natural of Atmos.
Neo-Natural is a study of humankind's relationship to nature in the age of climate change, including topics such as resource depletion and regeneration, gene editing, cellular agriculture, and the increasingly inarguable effects of the Anthropocene on indigenous communities around the globe. It features contributions from artists like Yoko Ono, ANOHNI, Ryan McGinley, Daniel Beltra, and more, all attempting to answer the question: What does "natural" mean in the modern world?
Act Natural
