Kevin T. Kelly
At it’s core, my work has always addressed the issue of the human condition, specifically, the complexities and dramas played out on a psychological level in various types of relationships. These relationships often range from the personal to global, but in all instances refer to the primary concepts of perception and awareness. Our perception of the world, what we hold to be true, is largely colored by familial and societal programming during our formative years. We’re taught at a very early age, the rules and guidelines of fitting in and maintaining the status quo according to the precepts of each “tribe” or organization. By not questioning or evaluating this personal belief system, we later find friction or conflict developing in our lives by having assumed certain roles in ascribing to the tenets of a tribe we may no longer belong to. My paintings take a cogent, yet often humorous look at the juncture where these belief systems collide.
My working methodology is process oriented. Typically, a particular issue or theme will come to mind while browsing through the rather extensive bank of images I’ve accumulated over the years. These files contain images and segments of text clipped from magazines, pages torn from old comic books, movie stills, and forgotten family snap shots obtained at flea markets. Allegorical narratives emerge as I mentally juxtapose divergent imagery while sifting through piles of folders. These narratives are based purely on speculation, often focusing on the issues of relationships, gender roles, and how the portrayal of those roles have changed in the postwar era.
I work in what I refer to as a Postmodern Pop style because it affords me a certain sense of familiarity or nearly instant accessibility with the viewer. There’s hardly a person alive today who hasn’t been exposed either directly or indirectly to the graphically reduced imagery found in manga, anime, comic books, animated movies or advertising in general. Like Pop artists of the past and most working in this style today, my work is influenced by popular culture, but that’s where much of the similarity ends. For me, the importance of the work lies not in the iconic celebration of pop culture, but in analyzing the psychological effects it manifests within contemporary society. Through visual metaphors, I establish an allegorical narrative which becomes the framework for the painting. Certainly this narrative reflects my personal world view, but I’m not particularly interested in the viewer “getting it”. I’m more interested in how the viewer responds or interprets the allegory, because it’s reflective of their particular sensibilities and sensitivities. In allowing for open-ended lines of interpretation without the burdensome weight of didactic pretense, the work avails itself more to the viewer and stays with them longer.
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RESUME
Born September 6, 1960
Education 1987 Art Academy of Cincinnati, B.F.A., Magna cum laude
Awards
2000 Al Smith Artists Fellowship Award, Kentucky Arts Council
One-Person Exhibitions
2008 “Risky Business”, The Rymer Gallery, Nashville, TN
“Opus Proprium”, AVS Art Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
2006 “Living in a Four Letter World”, The Harcum Gallery,
Wilmington College, Wilmington, OH
2005 “Stasis Quo”, The Dayton Art Institute, Dayton, OH
“Drawings by Kevin T. Kelly”, Manifest Creative Research Gallery and
Drawing Center, Cincinnati, OH
2004 “Beyond the Pale”, The Carnegie Arts Center, Covington, KY
2003 “Mr. Bad Example”, Kidder-Smith Gallery, Boston, MA
2002 “End Games”, Linda Schwartz Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
2001 “Sex, Flames & Tracers”, C-Pop Gallery, Detroit, MI
1999 “Kevin T. Kelly : Unplugged (The Small Works 1993-1999)”
Suzanna Terrill Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
1996 “Syntax and Semantics”. Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY
“Zeitgeist Simulacra” , Marta Hewett Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
1995 “Paradigm Lost”, Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY
1994 “Trouble in Mind” , Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY
1993 “Reactive Agents”, Kraine Theatre Gallery, New York, NY
1992 “Business as Usual”, Marta Hewett Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
1989 “The Fallen Idol Icons”, Pulse Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
Selected Group Exhibitions
2008 “About Face: 25 years. Some of the collectors who brought us here”,
Alan Avery Art Company, Atlanta, GA
2007 “Once Upon a Time in the Midwest”, Dorothy W. and Lawson Reed Jr. Gallery,
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
“Quiet”, Inaugural Exhibition of the Rymer Gallery, Rymer Gallery, Nashville, TN
5th Annual “Tha Blast”: Urban Arts and Cultural Festival Exhibition, Main Street
Gallery District, Cincinnati, OH
“Blue Kama Sutra: The Sacred and the Profane”, (Collaborative show with
Sheri Besso), The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center,
Covington, KY
2006 “The Figure Considered...”, Northern Kentucky University,
Highland heights, KY
“Welcome Back:Alumni Invitational”, Ruthe Pearlman Gallery,
Art Academy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
“Cincinnati Timeline”, Phyllis J. Weston-Annie Bolling Galleries, Cincinnati, OH
2005 “Carnivale d’ Expose”, Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center,
Covington, KY (Multimedia presentations)
2004 “Pop and Circumstance”, Media Bridges, Cincinnati, OH
“The Director Selects”, Trinity Gallery, Atlanta, GA
“Skin Deep”, 708 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH
(“The Malevolent Muse”, video presentation)
“Celebrating Ohio Landscapes”, Closson’s Phyllis J. Weston Gallery,
Cincinnati, OH
“Heartfelt: Artwork that is Pulmonary or Tactile”,
Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY
2003 “The New Collection”, Trinity Gallery, Atlanta GA
“Objective or Non-Objective?”, Closson’s Phyllis J. Weston Gallery,
Cincinnati, OH
“POP! a Cap in Yo’ Azz” , S.S. Nova, Cincinnati. OH
67th National Midyear Show, The Butler Institute of American Art,
Youngstown, OH, Juried Exhibition, Juror: John Alexander
2002 “Visions International”, Art Center Waco, Waco, TX, Juried Exhibition,
Juror: Peter Frank, Art Critic
“ small works III: red”, Linda Schwartz Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
2001 “small works II”, Linda Schwartz Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
2000 “small works”, Linda Schwartz Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
“About Face”, Columbus College of Art and Design,
Columbus, OH
1999 “C Stands for...”, C-Pop Gallery, Detroit, MI
Suzanna Terrill Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
1996 Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY
1993 Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY
“Selections #1”, Kraine Theatre Gallery, New York, NY
1992 Kraine Theatre Gallery, New York, NY
1991 “Multiculturalism: The Evolution and The Celebration”
Museum Center at the Union Terminal, Cincinnati, OH
1989 “Forrest Avenue Farewell”
Nexus Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, GA
1988 “Comment”, Nexus Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, GA
“Secrets”, Gallery 10, Washington, D.C.
“Exhibit 280” (Biennial Exhibition),
Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington, WV
Bibliography
2006 The Sunday Challenger, Postmodern Hip Meets Ultra-Cool Lounge,
Vicki Prichard, January 1, 2006, Covington, KY, p. 7C.
2005 The Cincinnati Enquirer, Owners aspire to raise Covington’s social bar,
Andrea Remke, December 11, 2005, Northern Kentucky, pp. B-1, B-6.
The Cincinnati Enquirer, Catalog Kelly’s newest work of art,
Sara Pearce, November 20, 2005, Cincinnat, OH, p.D-3.
Dayton City Paper, Sexplosion: The provocative super-graphics of Kevin T. Kelly,
Jud Yalkut, November 9-15, 2005, Dayton, OH , p. 13.
The Dayton Daily News, Let’s talk about sex (or not), (Cover Story),
Ron Rollins, October 9, 2005, Dayton, OH, p. F-1, F-4
The Cincinnati Enquirer, Artist takes off on American pop culture, (Cover Story),
Sara Pearce, October 2, 2005, Cincinnati, OH, p. D-1, D-8
“Creative Lives: Kevin T. Kelly”, 30 minute cable broadcast interview with the
artist, Dania Smith, Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky,
September, 2005,Covington, KY
The Cincinnati Enquirer, A Fraction of the Action, (Cover Story), Sara Pearce,
September 11, 2005, Cincinnati, OH, p. D-4
The Cincinnati Enquirer, Pop in to these must-see shows, (Cover Story), Sara
Pearce, September 11, 2005, Cincinnati, OH, p. D-5
The Art Academy News, Kevin Kelly’s Pullman Square, Howard Wells,
March 2005, pp. 4, 6.
2004 Cincinnati Magazine, he thunk, she thunk, Colleen Armstrong, September 2004,
Cincinnati, OH, p.186
2004 The Sunday Challenger, Postmodern Provocative: Kevin Kelly’s Pop Art More
Than Skin Deep, Vicki Prichard, July 18, 2004, Covington, KY, p. 5C
Cincinnati CityBeat, Kevin T. Kelly at the Carnegie Visual + Performing Arts
Center, Julie Bernzott and Jacquelyn Vaughn, Look Here, March 24-30, 2004,
Cincinnati, OH, p. 47
Cincinnati CityBeat, Adult Subject Matter: Kelly’s Pop Art Indicts Complacency at
the Carnegie, Stacey Recht, March 17 –23, 2004, Cincinnati, OH, p.47
The Cincinnati Enquirer, Kelly’s Cartoons Pop with Appeal, Marilyn Bauer,
March 12, 2004, Cincinnati, OH, Weekend, p.9
The Cincinnati Post, At Carnegie, Art from landscapes to Neo-Pop, Jerry Stein,
March 9, 2004, Cincinnati, OH, Living, pp. 1- 2B
2003 The Boston Globe, Opposing Bubbles / Kevin T. Kelly: Mr. Bad Example,
Cate McQuaid, February 14, 2003, Boston, MA, p. C-22
2002 New Art Examiner, Kevin T. Kelly at the Linda Schwartz Gallery, Jane Durrell,
May/June, 2002, pp. 96 - 97
Cincinnati CityBeat, Complex Creativity: As Much Freud as Funnies in Kelly’s
Paintings, Fran Watson, March 21-27, 2002, Cincinnati, OH, p. 45
The Cincinnati Post, Pop Art Makes Return,, Jerry Stein, February 28, 2002,
Cincinnati, OH, Living, p. 1- 2B
2001 Detroit Metro Times, ...and C-POP takes a trip, Liz DiDonna, March 8-12, 2001,
Detroit, MI
2000 Cincinnati CityBeat, It’s a Small World, Fran Watson, December 14 - 20, 2000,
Cincinnati, OH, p. 75
The Courier-Journal, Viewpoints: Cover Art, Diane Heileman, July 16, 2000
Louisville, KY.
The Cincinnati Enquirer, Artist Pays Tribute to Pop Guru,,
Owen Findsen, June 16, 2000, Cincinnati, OH, p. Tempo 1-A
1999 http://www.texaco.com, The Current Revival of Pop Art, William
Livingstone, November, 1999, pp. 1-3
1996 The International Economy, Locked Out of the Men’s Club, Owen Ullmann,
January/February, 1996, pp. 16- 17. (Image: “Genderrific!”)
Antenna Arts Magazine, Kelly at Marta Hewett Gallery, Lee
Horvitz, August, 1996, Cincinnati, OH, pp. 18-19
1994 Resident Publications, The New Addition, Rochelle Campbell,
February 25 - March 10, 1994, p. 15
1992 The Art Academy News, Catching Up with Kevin Kelly, Jane
Stanton, September, 1992, p. 5
1990 Dialogue, The Fallen Idol Icons, David Waite, March/April, 1990, p. 25
1988 The Art Academy News, The Impact of Information on the Individual in the
Twentieth Century, Daniel Brown, May 3, 1988
The Cincinnati Enquirer, Pop Art Exhibit Features Icon Paintings,
Owen Findsen, August 12, 1988, p. B-10
Catalogues
2005 “Stasis Quo”, The Dayton Art Institute, Dayton, OH
Essay by P.J. O’Rourke
“Cruft by Robert Spahr / Drawings by Kevin T. Kelly”
Manifest Research Gallery and Drawing Center, Cincinnati, OH,
Essay by Jason Franz
2003 “New American Paintings, Volume 46”, The Open Studios Press,
Boston, MA (Cover), pp. 82 -85
2002 “Visions International “, Art Center Waco, Waco, TX
2000 “New American Paintings, Volume 28”, The Open Studios Press,
Wellesley, MA (Cover), pp. 94-97
2000 “The Big Pig Gig: Celebrating Pigs in the City” , Orange Frazer Press,
Wilmington, OH
2000 “The Big Pig Gig”, Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, OH
1993 “Selections #1”, Kraine Theatre Gallery, New York, NY
1992 “Business as Usual”, (Two person show with Thom Shaw), Marta Hewett Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
1988 “COMMENT”, Nexus Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, GA
Projects
2007 “Slouching Toward Bethlehem”, 7 minute video collaborative project with Sheri Besso.
2004 The Pullman Square Project: “Artificial Dissemination”, Mural for: Marquee Cinemas,Huntington, WV. 142 x 852”.
“The Malevolent Muse”, 2 minute multimedia dvd, “Skin Deep” event,
Cincinnati, OH
Collections
Breitling SA
James Dicke II
Procter and Gamble
Marquee Cinemas
P.J. O’Rourke
News Web Corporation
Fidelity Investments
California Sun Products
Howard A. Tullman Collection
Couri Group Incorporated
Commonwealth Hotels Inc.
Peter Remes Collection
Sara Vance Collection
Buck and Leslie Shiels
Curatorial / Jurying
2008 “The I of the Storm: Eleven Artists on Art and the Creative Spirit”, Collector’s Art Group, Cincinnati, OH
2001 Call to Artists, The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center, Covington, KY
2001 33rd Annual Duveneck Memorial Art Show, Northern Kentucky Heritage League,Covington, KY