Danielle Mckinney Sweet Spot, 2024 Sandretto Re Rebaudengo collection
From October 17, 2026, to February 28, 2027, the Museo Novecento presents *Danielle Mckinney. Among Us*—a splendid exhibition curated by Sergio Risaliti and Stefania Rispoli.
Flowers on the black soul by Beatrice Brandini
Danielle Mckinney Soliloquy, 2025. Courtesy collection of KAWS
Defined as one of the most interesting voices on the contemporary scene (included by TIME among the 100 most influential people of 2026), Daniele Mckinney (Montgomery, Alabama, 1981) portrays wonderful women in a moment of intimacy, immersed in silent and elegant domestic environments. They are suspended figures, immersed in their thoughts, but also free and aware. Always enveloped in loving grace.
Danielle Mckinney NOOK, 2023. Courtesy Sandretto Re Rebaudengo collection
Danielle Mckinney Prophecy, 2025. Pivate collection
The paintings of this talented American artist are distinguished by an intense use of light and color against dark backgrounds, reminiscent of the *chiaroscuro* of Caravaggio. Having started her career as a photographer—a background that has clearly left its mark—her compositions often reflect cinematic and scenographic influences.
Danielle Mckinney APEX, 2025. Private Collection
Her works reflect universal themes such as solitude, female identity, introspection, and the relationship between the observer and the observed. At the same time, however, these women are conscious of their own femininity and independence. It is not a nostalgic or melancholy solitude; rather, it is one that is aware of—and proud of—its own freedom.
Danielle Mckinney ABYSS, 2022. Private Collection
Her paintings also contain references to great artists such as Picasso and Matisse.
The beauty of this exhibition lies not only in McKinney’s own—admittedly stunning—works, but also in the relationship between her paintings and those of 20th-century Italian artists, including Arturo Martini, Felice Casorati, and Giorgio Morandi. It is a perfect dialogue in which the sense of different eras dissolves, leaving everything feeling entirely cohesive and harmonious.
A wonderful view of the exhibition *Danielle McKinney: Among Us* (*Tra noi*), featuring the work *PROPHECY* in the background, alongside a 1939 bronze sculpture by Luigi Broggini. Civic Museums of Florence, Alberto Della Ragione Collection.
Also noteworthy are the poetic excerpts—selected by Elisa Biagini—that accompany the rooms and paintings. Biagini sought to give voice to other women, creating an interwoven tapestry of sensibilities that feels perfectly coherent.
Danielle McKinney at the press conference, alongside the Councilor for Culture, Giovanni Bettarini.
The exhibition also conveys a beautiful message—eloquently articulated by Stefania Rispoli during the press conference—inviting us to slow down the pace of our lives and observe things with greater attention (McKinney’s paintings, defined by small yet essential details, are a perfect example of this). It encourages us to rediscover the value of silence, personal freedom, and time dedicated to oneself.
A beautiful image of Danielle Mckinney, with *Second Wind* in the background
Because Danielle McKinney’s painting reminds us of precisely this: that beauty lies in simplicity, and that moments of solitude can harbor a profound emotional intensity.
A wonderful glimpse of the exhibition *Danielle McKinney: Among Us* (*Tra noi*); in the foreground, *La pisana* by Arturo Martini (1932). Civic Museums of Florence, Alberto Della Ragione Collection.
This is an exhibition I highly recommend seeing. To be honest, I wasn’t familiar with this artist before, but I found her work—and the message behind it—delightful, yet powerful. Danielle Joy McKinney herself is a woman full of grace—refined and elegant, yet also remarkably simple and gentle—much like her paintings.
Danielle Mckinney EVENTIDE, 2024. Courtesy Cingilli Collection
Share this exhibition with the people you love—especially your children, who might discover a different kind of femininity, one far removed from what is often portrayed on social media and in modern mass media.
Wishing you all a wonderful life!
Beatrice