Ryan McCann Returns With Death To Damien Hirst

1xRUN Thru Interview
Death To Damien Hirst by Ryan McCann

1xRun: Tell us a little bit about this piece. Was it created solely for this release or was there an original piece created?
Ryan McCann: This is part of the “Death to…” series that has culminated in a solo show highlighting the death of 8 living contemporary artists. It is now on view at Guy Hepner Contemporary in West Hollywood.

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1xRUN: What materials were used to create this piece with?
Ryan McCann: Oil and acrylic on masonite.

1xRun: When was the piece created and how long did it take to complete?
Ryan McCann: I did this in 2014. The concept came to me over a year ago and took about a month to finish. I thought about having my assistant paint the whole piece for me in true Damien Hirst fashion, but decided against it because painting is fun.

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1xRun: Tell us how the idea and execution came about?
Ryan McCann: I am fascinated by the career of Damien Hirst and as I learned more about his work I started to feel really bad for the butterflies and approached the work from their perspective.

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1xRun: Why do you feel people should buy this print?
Ryan McCann:  Because if you mail it with a return envelope to Damien Hirst he will wipe his ass with it and send it back to you.

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1xRun: Describe the piece in one gut reaction word.
Ryan McCann: #ButterflyRevenge.

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1xRun: How did the idea come about for killing of these artists?
Ryan McCann: It started with the Banksy piece and I enjoyed the narrative aspect of the work. Once that was finished, full stories started to play out in my head for the rest of them.

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1xRun: This is the 4th release in your Death To… series. Give us some background on why you chose the artists that you have so far?
Ryan McCann: This is the 4th print release, but there are 8 pieces total to the body of work. These are all artists that I admire and respect for different reasons, and in being a fan of what they do I study their work. There are many more artists that I enjoy, but for whatever reason these were the 8 that came to me.

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1xRun: They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, is murder right next to that you think?
Ryan McCann: The imitation exists since I am using their original image or concept to kill them with. So yes, I believe this to be the most sincere.

1xRun: You’ve been staying busy since our last release, bring us up to speed on what you’ve been up to?
Ryan McCann: I have been diving into a new body of work, and am getting ready to move into a much bigger studio. That will probably entice me to go big on a few ideas that I have been sitting on.

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1xRun: Any big shows or events coming up that you’d like to share?
Ryan McCann: I am excited to make a trip back to Miami for Art Basel this year where Inner State Gallery will feature the Death to Obey sculpture that is a part of this series. I will be making a trip to Europe over New Years to explore some opportunities that have presented themselves there, and I will be guest starring on the Tv show The Exes which will air on TV Land in November.

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1xRun: Where else can people find you?
Ryan McCann: WebsiteInstagram@RyanMcCannArt – Facebook

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