Jim Dine on Pop Art: 'I Have Nothing to Do with It'

In an interview at Castel Nuovo in Naples, where his exhibition 'Elysian Fields' runs until February 10, 2026, Jim Dine (born 1935, Cincinnati) discusses his work, his relationship with Pop Art, and the current state of the art world. The show, part of Napoli Contemporanea 2025 curated by Vincenzo Trione and promoted by the City of Naples, features large-scale plaster sculptures that Dine calls 'invented and dreamed portraits.' He emphasizes that his use of everyday objects stems from personal childhood memories, not popular culture, and rejects the Pop Art label, stating, 'Lichtenstein, Warhol — those people are alien to me.' Dine reflects on the ephemeral nature of plaster, his lifelong engagement with antiquity, and the elegiac quality in his work. He criticizes the contemporary art world as dominated by commerce, where artists have become 'producers,' and advises young creators to protect their creative flame. The interview was conducted by Diana Cava.