Kennedy Yanko gets candid in Girl Talk with Gwyneth Giller, sharing raw, never-before-seen entries from her personal journal.
I first met Kennedy in October 2024 during a photoshoot at an ever-iconic Upper East Side home. The space? An architectural feast—every wall a masterpiece, and around every corner revealed a sexy photo op. We staged it like a cheeky Architectural Digest tour, as if we were just casually living our best design-mag lives for the day. Meanwhile, Kennedy’s cat, Elo—part acrobat, part diva—leapt from couch to couch, chasing golden-hour light. Even in the midst of the quick outfit changes and camera flashes, Kennedy exuded a rare, grounded presence. There was something especially magnetic in the quiet moments—like when she lay outside in the garden, dappled in sunlight, completely at ease.
Six months later, we crossed paths again—this time, she was in the middle of installing two solo shows on opposite sides of Manhattan. Somewhere amongst the chaos she managed to sit down with me and chat about everything from Dolly Parton to the apocalypse.
Gwyneth Giller: What were you doing right before this?
Kennedy Yanko: I was running around and pointing everywhere—directing where pieces should go, choosing the color for the scaffolding, and welcoming people into the gallery. Basically just running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
GG: As one does.
KY: But before that, I was sitting in a cafe, having a coffee, and writing in my journal. So, it’s a life of contrast.
GG: Sounds like you were romanticizing the chaos a bit. What kind of music were you listening to?
KY: I was listening to a meditation actually. It was called Truth Vibration.
GG: That’s so funny, I was going to ask you if you’re a frequency girly?
KY: How would you define a “frequency girly”?
GG: Do you listen to frequencies? There are these numeric frequencies you can play—I find mine in little curated Spotify playlists. Each one is different, with its own purpose.
KY: I’m really into these magnetic tongs—you strike them, and they vibrate all around you. They’re used for healing, which is so cool. I was toying with the idea of using them in some kind of performance. They make this incredible sound, like something from outer space.
GG: So, you’re installing two shows right now. One at Salon 94, Retro Future, and one at James Cohan, Epithets. What are the pros and cons of having two solo shows open on each side of Manhattan at the same time?
KY: Well, because of my nature, I thrive under pressure. I really tried to set it up in a way where I would always be stimulated, I don’t want any downtime. This is my first solo show in two years so I really wanted to just fully pour my body into the work. I’m such a multi-faceted, contradictory person. So being able to share both aspects of myself at the same time, in the same city is really special. We’ve got great teams at Salon 94 and James Cohan, they’re all fantastic.
GG: Can you tell me a little bit about the shows in your own words? No press release lingo allowed.
KY: Epithets was really about looking at the layers, the things beneath the veil. It was about exploring the parts of ourselves that we struggle to share with the world, the things we have trouble accepting. I wanted to create a visual language that reflects the ooziness, the scariness, and the raw, sometimes ugly, experience of stepping into that space—of moving through it and existing within it.
GG: What was your inspo?
KY: I was looking at Buckminster Fuller’s philosophy—his approach to design and life, and what it means to use your existence as an experiment, as something to offer to the world. I also delved into Carl Jung’s thoughts on shadow work—engaging with the aspects of ourselves that lie beneath the surface.
Another major inspiration for me was Penny Arcade and her 1990 performance piece Bitch, Dyke, Fag Hag, Whore. She created it in response to the National Endowment for the Arts pulling funding from political and queer art. She toured the show 1,500 times across the country. Penny is a New York, downtown icon.
GG: What are some, if any, conclusions you’ve drawn from your research?
KY: I’ve been considering not just how we define ourselves, but also whether defining oneself is even necessary. The show was about the symbolism within language, the energy and frequency of how ideas are transmitted. When you ask me about being a “frequency girl,” I think that’s exactly what I am. I’m always aware of what’s being emitted—from my inner world, my heart, my gut, my interactions with people, and my responses to space.
It’s also interesting to reflect on our current era of rapid technological advancement—artificial intelligence, evolving consciousness. What fascinates me isn’t the idea of psychic abilities, but telepathy in a way. Buckminster Fuller spoke about this in the ‘60s, predicting that technology would advance so quickly that we’d reach a point of near-telepathic communication.
GG: Are you an AI optimist?
KY: I mean, I think it’s great. I just don’t think we’ve really had the opportunity to look at it optimistically, if we wanted to. No one ever made that movie.
GG: I’m thinking about the early 2000s when we had internet literacy classes in school and everyone thought that it would make you more successful in life. Now, we know the internet is just ammunition for an army of brain-rot, iPad kids.
KY: That’s what I mean when I talk about the rise of consciousness alongside technology. It’s crucial for people to be disciplined in how they use it—to engage with it in a smart, intentional way.
GG: True. In terms of the rise of consciousness alongside technology, I’m thinking about Martine Syms. I just recently went to Jordan Show, which is a late night alternative talk show. You would love it by the way. Martine was one of the guests and she was talking about how she used to feed all of her journal entries into an AI avatar of herself. She programmed it so people could message and talk to the AI Avatar.
It makes me wonder, at what point does AI become sentient, less objective and more catered to our own personal beliefs? Like what happens when AI experiences a rise of consciousness alongside us?
KY: I guess the other thing is, if AI studies someone’s personality, character, and belief system and it’s helping to guide you through that—if your belief system is skewed then the AI guidance will just reaffirm that.
GG: And that’s on confirmation bias. When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
KY: I wanted to be an artist. I always wanted to be an artist. My 12-year-old self is squealing right now.
GG: I love thinking about little 12-year-old Kennedy. What would you tell her if you could give her a message?
KY: My Aunt Gussie, who passed away at 101 years old—I have a little portrait of her in my studio, she looks like Shirley Chisholm—she would always give me bites on my cheek and say, ”go on and let your firecracker pop, don’t worry about what they think.”
It’s easy to get caught up, especially when you’re in a vulnerable place—just trying to stay true to yourself. It can be easy to be shaped by the perceptions of others, to be molded into an identity that isn’t entirely your own. That’s something I’m constantly resisting.
GG: Do you have any specific belief or perspective that you held five years ago that doesn’t resonate with you now?
KY: Yeah, I mean, the Epithets show is really about darkness—about walking through that dark room with no light, feeling your way through, and just sitting with it, being present in it. I think I’ve become much more open to pain—both my own and that of others. I’ve learned to be present with suffering in a way that allows me to hold space for it, without being consumed by moral agony.
GG: I can imagine that changes the way you move throughout your life. This is kind of like a funny follow-up question, but could be related: what is the last unhinged text you sent someone?
KY: [laughs] I try to be very PC (politically correct) and diplomatic about everything. You’ll never see me unhinged. And if I am, it looks really, really good.
GG: Period. Do you consider yourself online?
KY: Unfortunately, yes.
GG: What side of Instagram are you on?
KY: I’m living in the stories. It’s like my television. My instagram grid is a nice portfolio of my work but my stories are where it gets kind of lit.
GG: Do you have a finsta?
KY: I do, but I don’t use it. I named it @kennybb773.
GG: I don’t really use mine either, but every so often, I remember I have free will and post something silly there. Instagram can be so miserable if you’re constantly aware of the fact that random people are perceiving you.
KY: And that’s why I don’t share too much there. I just use it as a business tool or to stay in touch with my friends. I’m always posting things a year later.
GG: I feel like an esoteric Instagram presence is true hot girl shit.
KY: What does that look like?
GG: Exactly what you were describing. Not tagging your location, not tagging your friends. If you know you know. You know?
KY: Mhm, we love the mystique.
GG: Do you have an internet interview format show that you’re really into right now?
KY: I love SubwayTakes. I love chicken dates. What’s the name? The chicken shop?
GG: Chicken Shop Date. Shout out to Amelia Dimolenberg, I love her.
KY: I wonder if they ever have artists on the show?
GG: Please, I need a Kennedy Yanko x Chicken Shop Date. If you were going to be on SubwayTakes, what would your hot take be?
KY: I honestly would have to think about it, but maybe it would be: that all humans are very precious and very silly. That’s my hot take.
GG: I agree with that. What’s a weird or unexpected habit that you have?
KY: I always have my hands in my shirt. Like I’m always touching my boobs.
GG: [laughs] That’s real. What’s the best compliment you could receive?
KY: I really appreciate compliments that don’t have anything to do with aesthetics. For a long time, I would tighten up around compliments. Now, I’m really actively trying to absorb them and allow myself to feel them.
GG: Yes, and you also have to think about the vulnerability it takes for someone else to give a truly genuine compliment. That’s special and deserves space.
KY: It’s such a gift.
GG: Do you believe that dreams have significance?
KY: I think everything has significance. I believe the moon moves the oceans, and so many things are connected.
GG: Facts. Okay, so we’re bringing it back. You used to live in a basement with 12 actors. What is an invaluable lesson that you learned from that period of your life?
KY: I think the biggest lesson that I walked away with is that community and building with the people around you is the ultimate form of art. At the end of the day, no matter what, you’re always going to be operating within a system. That’s why it’s so important to build a life that supports the art you need to make and the world you want to create.
GG: Did you keep a journal during that time?
KY: I’ve always kept a journal, and the ones from that period are especially meaningful—it was the most challenging time of my life.
GG: Would you feel comfortable sending me a journal entry from some point in your last 15 years in New York.?
KY: I would love that.
GG: Bringing a journal everywhere must be inconvenient.
KY: I literally specifically bought a purse that I can carry my journal in.
GG: Birkin?
KY: No, no, it’s a Chanel bag. But it’s really cute, it’s made out of this parachute material.
GG: Love. Oh, and by the way, I loved seeing you in Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It. What was it like working with the legendary Mr. Spike Lee?
KY: I mean, he’s truly legendary. His energy is unmatched, and he’s built this incredible team—many of whom he’s worked with for decades. His sets have this family-like atmosphere, where everyone is putting in their best work and supporting each other. It was such a gift to step into a space like that.
GG: Who would play you in your biopic?
KY: Me.
GG: You’ve mentioned the idea of alchemy in your work. What’s something outside of art, in your personal life, that also feels like alchemy?
KY: Words like alchemy or other esoteric terms can sound so mysterious and sexy, but in reality, it’s not that glamorous. It’s really about awareness—self-awareness and attention. I try to treat my attention as my spirituality, understanding that wherever I direct my energy, my mind, and my thoughts—that’s my spiritual self.
GG: What is the last thing that you saw in art, architecture, nature, anything that completely stunned you?
KY: Well, you know, I’m down in Miami now and every day is just an eye orgasm. Just watching the dew drop off the bottom of a tree, seeing all these incredible forms of cactus and wildlife. I also love watching light. When I feel the sun on my face, I feel so alive.
GG: I love light. What do we do without it?
KY: Girl, I don’t know. Not much.
GG: Did you watch the Oscar best picture nominated films?
KY: No. I feel the least connected to popular culture. I’ve been boycotting the news since I was 18.
GG: What’s in your SSENSE cart right now?
KY: Nothing right now, I’m waiting to get paid for the show. [laughs] But typically, I hate shopping. I only like second-hand or consignment shopping. My art practice consists of digging through materials and I carry that into my every-day life. I love feeling that something has been picked out for you by fate.
GG: If you could heist any artwork in the world, what would it be?
KY: Oh man, there was this Anselm Kiefer installation at the Venice Biennale a couple years back. I would steal that whole room.
GG: Who’s your #1 muse?
KY: Oh, Dolly Parton. She’s one of my favorite living artists.
GG: An icon. Rest in peace to her sweet husband, Carl Dean.
KY: Oh no, he died?
GG: Yes. Their relationship was so interesting to me, the way he avoided the public eye for 50 years is just really iconic. I think they were also in something of an open relationship.
KY: I can see it.
GG: Do you identify with futurism or archaeology more?
KY: Both. And I think you can’t have one without the other.
GG: Do you think your sculptures would survive the apocalypse?
KY: Totally. They’re going to be the one thing that does survive. They’re time capsules, carrying a lot of information, historically and aesthetically.
GG: If you could write a letter to your future self, what would it say?
KY: Guide me, show me, love me right now, please.
Creative Direction: Tschabalala Self
Producer: Gwyneth Giller
Photographer: Sam Leviton
Stylist: Whitney Etorama
Nail Technician: Mamie Onishi
Hair and Makeup: William Scott
