Gordon Winarick turned this uncertain time into a source of inspiration. After moving from NYC to LA, he developed a new relationship to space, time, and his surroundings. His learnings from the past two years have manifested themselves into his first solo exhibition Spatial Awareness – on display at the Tase Gallery in LA. 

Fine art is only one of Winarick’s pursuits. You may recognize him from his extensive modeling work from Zara to Office Magazine, or his acting roles on Jordan Peele’s Hunters on Amazon Prime or The Ultimate Playlist of Noise on Hulu. Needless to say, the multi-hyphenate has positioned himself as someone to watch. We sat down with him to chat all things style, fashion, and art. 

Congratulations on your first solo show! What was the experience like for you?

Thank you, much appreciated. The entire show was one giant learning lesson. It taught me a lot about letting go of my work and giving it room to live its own life. When I am making something in a studio and it is surrounded by paints, other projects, and materials, it feels very tethered to me. It can be challenging to put an end to it and cut the ties. Finishing projects is something I struggle with because it means the experience of making it is coming to an end. That’s a little sad. Ultimately, bringing it to a fresh space changed the way I saw my own work and it really informed me about what I wanted to make next.

Can you tell us a bit about the exhibit, ‘Spatial Awareness’? What was the inspiration behind this collection of work?

I had moved out of NYC to Los Angeles mid-pandemic. I don’t believe there’s such thing as “perfect timing” to make a major change, you just have to do it and figure it out. The process of packing up my life was pretty revealing to me. It became evident just how much I had accumulated that I quite simply didn’t care about. As I got rid of almost everything and simplified my life down to a few boxes, it was a huge breath of fresh air after being in lockdown for some time. A month and a cross country move later, I felt like a different person. I started to think different kinds of thoughts, I was working in different creative spaces, seeing new landscapes. I was encountering new experiences and challenging myself in different ways. It became apparent that I was growing as a person and it felt good. This whole experience made me realize that the things and the people that you surround yourself with determine what your experience will be while you are alive.

The pieces in Spatial Awareness are a visual dialogue on simplicity, separation, and mindfulness of surroundings. Sometimes you have to strip away all of the clutter to rest the mind.

You’re a true multi-hyphenate creative, working within the fashion industry as a model and as an actor. How do these fields inform one another? Or do you keep them separate?

They can’t help but bleed into each other and I love that. At the end of the day you are applying your creative mentality to the project at hand so any lesson you learn in one will inform you in the next.

Acting, modeling, and painting share similarities because they are the practice of storytelling through an image. I’ve learned to be a team player through acting and modeling. You’re hired to play a role on a team that is working towards a creative goal. The best thing I can do is be prepared and ready so the team has the best chance of succeeding.

Painting an image and building a character for acting are almost the same thing. You need to start with large brush strokes, general ideas about who the character is and where they come from. Slowly, you block in more refined colors and shapes, specifying who they are and why they react the way that they do. Lastly, you add the finishing touches. In my head I always knew that’s how you were supposed to build a character, but it took the visual practice through painting to allow me to really understand it.

You’re always facing the same challenges in creativity. Sometimes it just takes seeing it from a different angle and a fresh perspective.

Do you have any earliest memory of art or fashion? What drew you to these creative fields?

My grandfather was really a special person. He was a jacket and tie all the time kind of person who just had class and an exceptional eye for things. Following WWII he became a watchmaker and jeweler and did that for his entire life. He always had this sense of occasion that I admire now that I am older. I think being around his shop always gave me a warm feeling for creativity.

How would you describe the relationship between art and fashion?

This is a great question and can spark a long discussion.

To me, art and fashion are purely about the experience. The experience of looking at good art is so visceral and can completely transform you in a very deep way. It’s harder to put your finger on the experience of what you are feeling. It’s more of a universal understanding of the human condition. The aim of fashion is to re-experience those emotions, but in a portable concrete way. It’s an outer response to what is going on inside of us.

When I look at a grid painting by Agnes Martin it makes me feel the same way as I do when I am wearing a suit and tie. Always take note of what artists wear, it can really inform you about their work.

Are there any artists or designers that inspired your work growing up or today?

The first time I came across the work of Julian Schnabel, I felt deeply inspired. His paintings and films all feel very honest and bring such unique perspective to life around us. He seems pretty fearless when it comes to creative endeavors. His film The Diving Bell and The Butterfly is extraordinary. Working on a project of his would be a dream come true.

Tom Ford is a true visionary. Brice Marden’s paintings will forever be in my heart until the day I die. La Fábrica by architect Ricardo Bofill is breathtaking. Al Pacino’s performance in Dog Day Afternoon is one of the best performances I’ve ever seen in my life.

My peers also inspire me every single day. Seeing what my friends and family are creating is a true joy because it is the water that rushes around me. Jessie Andrews, Devon Dejardin, Guillermo Andrade, Doni Nahmias, Cole Winarick, and Dave Kuncio.

How would you describe your personal style or aesthetic?

I would describe my personal style as “smart.” I like to keep it clean, simple, and sophisticated with a laidback sense. Something old, something new. Steve McQueen and Jean-Paul Belmondo both had great style.

What advice would you give to a young artist, fashion designer, or creative?

Start now, immediately. I always tell myself, “Paintings don’t paint themselves.” At the end of the day, you have to be making the thing for the thing to get made. Dive in and challenge yourself! We are all more capable than we give ourselves credit for. Try not to spend too much time up in your head thinking about doing the “thing,” just start and overcome the challenges along the way. Meditate and develop a mindfulness practice. Work on your listening. Drink lots of water while you are working. BE JUST AS HAPPY FOR THE SUCCESS OF OTHERS AS YOU ARE ABOUT YOUR OWN! When you feel “stuck” in something that you are creating, go for a walk. Moving the body will help un-lodge whatever is stifling you. Challenge all of your creative senses. Cook, play music, sing, paint, watch movies and rewatch great movies. When you are in the process of making things you are growing.

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