Interview: Artist Richard Phillips On Painting Celebrities, NYC's Art World & His Distinctly Evocative Paintings

Interview: Artist Richard Phillips On Painting Celebrities, NYC's Art World, And His Distinctly Evocative Paintings

What are some of your go to places to go out in New York?

It's interesting, we talked about New York back when, and New York now. Indochine has always been a place for me...it was the epitome of New York when I first moved to this city, and I was just there not long ago, and I absolutely loved it. It was still as fun as it has ever been. For me one thing about New York in terms of nightlife, it's always interesting what the next thing is; it's the thing that I don't know that surprises me. Particularly at this moment, there's all this newness in the city that we don't know of. So I think I'll leave it to you guys to lead the way, and I'm sure looking forward to discovering. Whatever I say couldn't help to be dated so I'm going to defer to the new experience that lays ahead, for sure. What's the best advice you have for young artists? I think it really is to avail oneself to hostility in art, and to really expose oneself. Really...not afraid to say yes, when many others are saying no and trying to protect whatever they perceive to be a certain type of position. Take that risk, and say yes. That is the fundamental advice I can give, because in a way, that's how things move forward. It's being able to embrace that very simple word. Richard Phillips will take part in the Max Hetzler 40 year group show titled "Remember Everything" this November, and will have two solo shows at Galerie Max Hetzler (Berlin) and the Dallas Contemporary Museum in 2014. [Photo via]