Project Description
Robert Kelly
b. 1956, Santa Fe, NM
Robert Kelly’s painted collages are anchored in a step-by-step process of formal puzzle composition, and informed by decades of expert surface crafting. Having grown fond of the pared-down tools of line, form, and color, he juxtaposes these elements with items gathered during extensive travels. Antique botanical drawings, handwritten notes, small sketches and vintage signs come together as the ground for his works. Through meditative layering and edge-to-edge arrangements, his sensual surfaces, full of tension and exquisite junctions, expose histories of tactile decisions.
Robert W. Kelly was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico and graduated from Harvard University, Cambridge with a MA in 1978. Throughout his career he has received positive reviews in many prestigious publications including Art in America, ARTnews and the Los Angeles Times. He is represented in both private and public collections including the Dallas Museum of Fine Art, IBM, New York and the Museum of Fine Art, Santa Fe. Although frequently returning to the Southwest, Kelly resides in New York City.
EDUCATION
1978
BA, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA AWARDS and HONORS
2013
Palm Springs Invited Guest Artist Award, Palm Springs Fine Art Fair
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2016
Black on Bone, Sophia Contemporary Gallery, London, England
2016
Contructions/Contrucoes, Mercedes Viegas Arte Contemporanea, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2016
Concealed to Revealed, Octavia Art Gallery, New Orleans, LI
2015
Mercedes Viegas Arte Contemporanea, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2014
John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2014
Galleri Weinberger, Copenhagen, Denmark
2013
Quitenz Gallery and David Floria, Aspen, CO
2012
James Kelly Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2010
Spazio Bianco – Relais San Maurizio / AR Contemporary Art, Italy
2009
John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2008
Leslie Feely Fine Art, New York, NY
2008
Robert Kelly /Mel Kendrick, David Floria Gallery, Aspen, CO
2007
David Floria Gallery, Aspen CO
2006
Barbara Davia Gallery, Houston, TX
2006
Bentley Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
2005
Bentley Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
2005
AR Contemporary Art, Milan, Italy
2005
Doug Udell Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2004
Linda Durham Contemporary Art Galisteo, NM
2004
John Berggreun Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2004
Anne Reed Gallery, Ketchum, ID
2003
Linda Durham Contemporary Art, New York, NY
2003
Scott White Contemporary Art, La Jolla, CA
2002
John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2002
Anne Reed Gallery, Ketchum, ID
2002
Bentley Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
2002
Doug Udell Gallery, Vancouver, BC, Canada
2001
Linda Durham Contemporary Art, Galisteo, NM
2000
John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2000
Bentley Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
2000
Barbara Davis Gallery, Houston, TX
2000
Barbara Singer Fine Art, Cambridge, MA
1999
SOMA Gallery, La Jolla, CA
1999
Anne Reed Gallery, Ketchum, ID
1999
Linda Durham Gallery Contemporary Art, Galisteo, NM
1999
Works on Paper, Betsy Senior Gallery, New York, NY
1998
Bentley Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
1997
Anne Reed Gallery, Ketchum, ID
1997
Linda Durham Contemporary Art, Galisteo, NM
1997
Erickson & Elins Fine Art, San Fransico, CA
1996
Sarah Dobbs Gallery, Vancouver, BC, Canada
1994
Linda Durham Contemporary Art, Galisteo, NM
1993
Clark Gallery, Lincoln, MA
1993
Victoria Munroe Fine Art, New York, NY
1993
Erickson & Elins Fine Art, San Fransico, CA
1992
Linda Durham Gallery Contemporary Art, Galisteo, NM
1989
Galleri Weinberger, Copenhagen, Denmark
1985
Clark Gallery, Lincoln, MA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2017
Art Stage Singapore 2017, Sophia Contemoprary, Singapore, Malaysia
2017
Group Show, Leslie Feely, New York, NY
2017
Art Miami, Leslie Feely, Miami, FL
2016
Frieze Masters, Sophia Contemporary Gallery, London, England
2016
Site Unseen 9, James Kelly Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2015
Manifesto, Mercedes Viegas Arte Contemporanea, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2015
PINTA Miami / Mercedes Viegas Arte Contemporanea, Miami, FL
2015
ArtBasel Miami Beach, Leslie Feely Fine Art, Miami, FL
2015
Art 15 / Mercedes Viegas Arte Contemporanea, London, UK
2015
SP-Arte 2015 / Mercedes Viegas Arte Contemporanea, Sao Paulo, Brazil
2015
Paintings and Sculpture, John Bergruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2014
Basel Art Fair / John Bergruen Gallery, Miami, FL
2014
PINTA Miami / Mercedes Viegas Arte Contemporanea, Miami, FL
2014
ArtRio 2014 / Mercedes Viegas Arte Contemporanea, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2014
Alongside, Barbara Davis Gallery, Houston, TX
2014
Sao Paulo Arte, Mercedes Viegas Arte Contemporanea, Sao Paulo, Brazil
2013
Arte Contemporanes, Art Rio, Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami, FL
2013
James Kelly Contemporary, Palm Springs Fine Art Fair, Palm Springs, CA
2013
Robert Kelly and Mel Kendrick, Quintenz Gallery, Aspen, CO
2013
Realms Uncharted, Barbara Davis Gallery, Houston, TX
2012
Abstraction, Beatriz Esguerra Art, Bogota, Colombia
2012
Caveau, Galleria Riccardo Crespi, Milan, Italy
2012
ADAA Art Show, Berggruen Gallery, New York, NY
2012
Gallery Artists, Leslie Feely Fine Art, Miami, FL
2012
Mile Marker, 3 Decades of Contemporary Art, Barbara Davis Gallery, Houston, TX
2012
Palm Springs Fine Art Fair, William Shearburn Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
2012
Dallas Art Fair, Shearburn Gallery, Dallas, TX
2011
Miami Basel, Leslie Feely Fine Art, Miami, FL
2011
Frank Stella/Richard Diebenkorn/Robert Kelly, Leslie Feely Fine Art, New York, NY
2010
The Art of Giving/Xmas Show, John Berggruen Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2010
Black and White, Jason McCoy Inc., New York, NY
2010
New Arrivals, Leslie Feely Fine Art, New York, NY
2010
Black and White, Galleri Weinberger, Copenhagen, Denmark
2010
Dallas Art Fair, Shearburn Gallery, Dallas, TX
2009
Cleve Carney Collection, Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst, IL
2008
Tipping the Balance, The Drawing Room, East Hampton, NY
2008
Linear Manifestations, Jeannie Freilich Contemporary, New York, NY
2008
Robert Kelly/Mel Kendrick, David Floria Gallery, Aspen, CO
2008
ADAA The Art Show 2008, Berggruen Gallery, New York, NY
2008
Chicago Art Fair 2008, Shearburn Gallery, Chicago, IL
2008
Summer Group Show, Leslie Feeley Fine Art, New York, NY
2007
Linda Durham Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM
2005
MOMA Lecture Series, Greenwich, CT
2005
palmbeach3, Scott White Contemporary Art, Palmbeach, CA
2005
Six American Artists, AR Contemporary Art, Milan, Italy
2004
Miami/Basel Art Fair, John Berggruen Gallery, Miami, FL
2004
Celebrating 23 Years, Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
2004
Sean Scully and Robert Kelly, Anne Reed Gallery, Ketchum, ID
2003
Site/Unseen, James Kelly Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2003
Color/Form/Figure, John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2003
Art Basel, Miami, John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2003
Mano A Mano, Robert Kelly/Ricardo Mazal, Lendrum Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA
2003
1111, Chiaroscuro Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM
2003
Genius Loci, DMJM Rottet, Houston, TX
2003
An American 6, Seraio Tossi Arte Contemporanea, Florence, Italy
2002
Six in the City, Linda Durham Contemporary Art, New York, Ny
2002
Currents, Barbara Davis Gallery, Houston, TX
2002
Eye Candy, Soma Gallery, La Jolla, CA
2002
Layerings, Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
2002
Summer in the City, John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2000
Mysticism and Desire, Patricia Hamilton Fine Arts, Los Angeles, CA
2000
Summer Reading, Anne Reed Gallery, Ketchum, ID
2000
Passion and Perspective, Sandy Carson Gallery, Denver, CO
2000
Abstraction: Form and Field, Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
2000
Processes, Douglas Udell Gallery, Vancouver, BC, Canada
1999
TEXT: A Survey of Minimalism, SOMA Gallery, La Jolla, CA
1999
Sheer Abstraction, Barbara Davis Gallery, Houston, TX
1999
One Common Denominator, Anne Reed Gallery, Ketchum, ID
1999
Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos: The City Series, Cedar Raids Museum of Art, IA
1998
One Common Denominator, Anne Reed Gallery, Ketchum, ID
1998
Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos: The City Series, Cedar Raids Museum of Art, IA
1998
Limited Edition Prints & Sculpture, Elizabeth Leach Gallery, New York, NY
1998
Mary Judge & Robert Kelly, Two Person Show, Betsy Senior Gallery, New York, NY
1997
State of the Questions, Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Fe, NM
1996
Retrospective/Prospective, Anne Reed Gallery, Ketchum, ID
1996
SITE Santa Fe, Contemporary New Mexico Artists, Sketches & Schemas, Santa Fe, NM
1996
Sheldon Art Gallery, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NB
1996
Linda Durham Gallery Contemporary Art, Galisteo, NM
1995
Bentley Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
1994
Twelfth Annual Salon Show, Clark Galleyr, Lincoln, MA
1991
Selected Works on Paper, Victoria, Munroe Fine Art, New York, NY
1991
The Painter, Victoria, Munroe Fine Art, New York, NY
1989
Collector’s Choice, Center for the Arts, Vero Beach, FL
1989
Monotypes from the Garner Tullis Workshop, Persons/Lindell Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
1998
Gallery Artists, Galleri Weinberger, Copenhagen Denmark
1985
Krakow International Print Biennale, Poland
1984
Linda Durham Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
1984
Salon Show, Clark Gallery, Lincoln, MA
COLLECTIONS
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY
The Marguilies Collection, Miami, FL
University of New Mexico Art Museum, Albuquerque, NM
The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
The Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Fe, NM
Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI
Smith College Art Museum, Northampton, MA
Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University, NJ
Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery, AL
The Fogg Museum, Cambridge, MA
The McNay Museum of Art, San Antonio, TX
New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe, NM
AT&T, New York, NY
Barclays, New York and London, England
Body Shop International, London England
Boston Properties, New York, NY
Cablevision, New York, NY
Chemical Bank, London, England
Chemical Bank, Wilmington, DE
Christian Science Headquarters, Boston, MA
Cleve Carney, Elmhurst, IL
Colagte, New York, NY
Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Boston, MA
Dell Foundation, Austin, TX
Dupont, Wilmington, DE
General Electric, New York, NY
General Mills, Minneapolis, MN
Gillette, Boston, MA
Grey Advertising, New York, NY
Graham Fund, Cambridge, MA
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
IBM, New York, NY
Hallmark, Kansas City, MI
Werner Kramarsky, New York, NY
Marsh & Malennan Inc., New York, NY
Kayne Foundation, Los Angeles, CA
Mead Data Central, Dayton, OH
William C. Mercer Collection, New York, NY
Microsoft Corporation, Mountain View, CA
Mitsubishi, Mew York, NY
Morgan Guarantee Trust Company, New York, NY
New England Life, Boston, MA
The Olin Foundation, NY
Pepsi Cola Company of Annapolis, MA
Philip Morris CO., Boston, MA
Price Waterhouse, Boston, MA
Scientific Atlanta Headquarters, Atlanta, GA
Smith Barney, New York, NY
Solomon Brothers, New York, NY
Time Inc., New York, NY
Wand, Boston, MA
The Ginny Williams Foundation
Wills Eyes Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Dell Foundation, Austin, TX
Boston Properties / GM Project, New York, NY
PUBLICATIONS
2016
Shatskikh, Alexandra. Robert Kelly, Virtuoso of the Palimpsest, Black on Bone: Selected Works, 2016
2016
Jansen, Charlotte. Abstract artist Robert Kelly layers postcards, prints and posters, Wallpaper, October 2016
2016
Neuendorf, Henri. Robert Kelly to Unveil Lage-Scale Paintings at London’s Sophia Contemporary Gallery, Artnet News, September 2016
2016
A Century of Influence: Robert Kelly on Malevich AfterNyne, The Art Lover’s Magazine, September 28, 2016
2016
Datebook: Robert Kelly Solo ‘Black on Bone’ at Sophia Contemporary, Blouin Artinfo, September 21, 2016
2016
A Movement in a Moment, Suprematism, Phaidon, September 27, 2016
2015
Grabaek, Karin. Walsted, Helle, NY Art Space / Robert Kelly, Rum Interior Design
2014
Lassell, Michael, An Artist and His Studio, NYC&G
2014
Keenan, Sandy. Treating His House Like a Museum, Home & Garden
2012
Tobin, Richard. Robert Kelly: Back And Forth, THE Magazine, October 2012
2010
Zorgniotti, Alessandro. L’autore Eccellenze pittoriche dalle carte vintage, il Giornale del Piemonte, October 2010
2010
Leffingwell, Edward. Robert Kelly, Paper Trails, Spazio Bianco – Relais San Maurizio / AR Contemporary Art, Italy
2010
Sheehan, Susan. The Little Nell, On Its 20th Anniversary, Architectural Digest, June 2010
2009
Bonhams, Contemporary and Modern Art, November 10, 2009
2009
Keates, Nancy. Aspen’s Little Nell Gets a Big Make Over. WS Journal, August 2009
2009
JFletcher, Joe. Time for a Change. Interior Design, July 2009
2009
AB, John. Berggruen Gallery: Robert Kelly – New Work. ArtBusiness.com. June 25, 2009
2009
M. Sheets, Hilarie. Robert Kelly, Leslie Feely Fine Art, ARTnews, March 2009
2007
Garcia, Luisa. Une muestra el oxido, lo digital yel dialogo, Vida El Norte, November 16, 2007
2007
Cook-Romero, Elizabeth. The Sights of Silence, The New Mexican, Pasatiempo June 22, 2007
2006
Previews. Santa Fe Summer Preview, Art In America June, 2006
2005
Ribas, Joao. Robert Kelly Recent Works, AR/Contemporary Gallery. October 2005
2004
Weideman, Paul. The Wide World of Zeros and Ones, The New Mexican, Pasatiempo, March 19, 2004
2004
Davis, Kathryn M. Robert Kelly: New Paintings/Assemblages, T H E magazine
2004
Dugan, Dana. Artist Renders Formalism With Soul, Idaho Mountain Express
2004
Kuntz, Melissa. Robert Kelly at Linda Durham, Art in America
2004
Loos, Ted. Sun Valley Splendor, House Beautiful
2000
Devon, Marjorie. Tamarind: 40 Years, University of New Mexico Press
2000
McQuaid, Cate. Opening of last show to celebrate Singer’s life, Arts Media-Boston’s VA Guide.
1999
Mandel, Charles. The Paint is the Point, Edmonton Journal
1999
Sperduto, Doretta. Serenity in Seattle, Met Home
1999
Weidman, Paul. Traveling Breaks Creative Habits, The New Mexican
1999
Rexer, Lyle. Robert Kelly At Betsy Senior, New York, Review.
1998
Johnson, Ken. Mary Judge & Robert Kelly, Betsy Senior Gallery, New York Times
1998
Miller, Joe. Report From Colorado, Looking to the Future, Art in America
1997
Bottomley, Sue Anne. Silk aquatint; Old Hat Or Nouveau Chapeau, Printmaking Today
1997
Melrod, George. Preview, Art & Antiques
1997
Moldaw, Carol. Chalkmarks On Stone, La Alameda Press, New Mexico
1997
McCloud, Kathleen. Robert Kelly: Complex Layers of Meaning, The New Mexican
1996
McCloud, Kathleen. Monotypes are Perfect Metaphors for Memory: Robert Kelly Accumulates History, Pasatiempo, The Santa Fe New Mexican
1996
Robert Kelly, Santa Fean Magazine, Vol 24, No 6
1995
Adelmann, Jan Ernsy. Report From Santa Fe, Going Mainstream, Art in America
1995
Armitage, Diane. Geometric Abstraction at Allene Lapids Gallery, THE Magazine
1995
Tobin, Richard. Robert Kelly at Linda Durham, Galisteo, THE Magazine
1995
Gustafson, Paula. Doug Edge/Robert Kelly/Julie Richard, The Georgia Straight
1994
Bentley, Lis. Timeless Works Of Ancient, Devotional Spirit, Santa Fe New Mexico
1993
Stapen, Nancy. Painters Stretch the Possible – Robert Ripps,
1993
Kathleen Bradford, Robert Kelly, The Boston Globe
1993
Henry, Gerrit. Robert Kelly; Victoria Munroe Gallery, ArtNews
1993
Unger, Miles. Robert Kelly, Art New England
1992
Van de Walle, Mark. Robert Kelly at Linda Durham, Galisteo, THE Magazine
1992
Reed, Arden. Robert Kelly: The Historical Present, Artspace
1992
Bell, David. Artwork Taps Sensitivity Awareness, Albuquerque Journal
1988
Review, Albuquerque Journal
1988
Donahue, Marlena. Review, Los Angeles Times
1983
Zellen, Jody. Best of Boston, Art New England, Vol 4, No 6
1981
Guiliano, Charles. Boston Now: Abstract Artists, Art New England
1981
Baker, Kenneth. Local Color at the ICA, Boston Phoenix
Fine Art America: Robert Kelly and Thomas Kelly From Concealed to Revealed
Twins often have commonalities; for Robert and Thomas one thing they share is an intuitive poetic sensibility to shape, form, and color. Thomas captures fleeting moments and the spirit within humans, while Robert creates spirit through his use of line and form on canvas.
Artsy: Robert Kelly Brings “Exquisite Junctions” to Sophia Contemporary for His First London Solo Show
Unlike the work of some artists who deal in abstraction, Robert Kelly’s meticulous compositions are deeply rooted in the stuff of the real world. The formidable paintings—“formal puzzles,” he has called them—mix line and color with vague remnants of text.
Spazio Bianco – Robert Kelly Paper Trails
Luminous, highly charged and in the present, Robert Kelly’s work inscribes a history of culture upon canvas like notes from a diary, a palimpsest, a paper trail. In many of these new works, Kelly addresses this historic present through the nuances disclosed in the fragments of text found in the inventory of vintage posters and sheets of archival newsprint he uses as essential components in his lustrous surfaces.