The White Room Gallery is pleased to share Pop Fiction through August 11, 2025.
Picasso said, “Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working.”
An observation perfectly evidenced in their new exhibit, ‘Pop Fiction’ which extends a nod to the pulp fiction genre as it incorporates American history in the mid-20th century with images that are, at times, a tad racy. And there is a fair amount of pulp.
Featured artist Nelson De La Nuez, also known as the “King of Pop Art’ with the moniker bestowed on him by the late ‘King of Pop’ himself, not only pays homage to myriad styles, but he is forever recreating the execution. One of the most sought-after contemporary Pop artists practicing today, his vivid mixed media artwork borrows motifs and messages from the language of wealth, power, fame, excess, taste, and access to cast a narrative about modern society.
Included in the “Who’s Who List of the Most Collected Artists of Our Time”, De La Nuez has a distinctive point of view – one that is both critical and embracing, sardonic and sentimental – that lends his work an air of accessibility and curiosity, demonstrating that art can be both humorous and intellectual. ‘You know me darling, wine first…talk later.’ ‘But I’m a first class girl…I can’t fly coach.’ ‘I like it dirty.’ Talking about a martini of course. Or not.
Original De La Nuez pieces hang in Delta airline’s private collection in Delta One’s VIP and SkyClub airport lounges throughout the country. He has been commissioned by numerous high-profile brands to create bespoke installations including Hermes and Kim Kardashian’s ShoeDazzle, and has earned a long list of celebrity admirers, including Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane Warren, Howie Mandel, Kaley Cuoco, and Kelly Clarkson.
In The Black Room is Markus Klinko, an award-winning, international fashion/celebrity photographer and director, who has worked with many of today’s most iconic stars of film, music, and fashion. With evocative shots of Bowie, Lady Gaga and Kim K, Klinko shows he is a master at creating a fictional narrative around the portrait. Lady Gaga looks like she is in an ancient Greek palace but is instead in a hidden tunnel in NYC. Kim K is supine in a coffin. And Bowie is contemplative with cigarette in hand or piercing with wolves alongside.’
Besides the three mentioned above, Klinko has photographed Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Kanye West, Anne Hathaway, Kate Winslet, Eva Mendes, Naomi Campbell, Iman and many others. His editorial clients include Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, and Interview magazine. He has created some of the most iconic album covers including Bowie’s Heathen, Beyonce’s Dangerously in Love, and Mariah Carey’s The Emancipation of Mimi.
The pairing of these two artists, one bringing cool pop styles and the other cool pop stars makes Pop Fiction an exhibit that not only inspires but delights.’
