Mike Kelley

Michael "Mike" Kelley was a highly influential figure in American contemporary art. Over his 35-year career, Kelley explored a wide range of mediums, including drawings on paper, sculpture, performance, music, video, photography, and painting.

Biography of Mike Kelley

Mike Kelley was born in 1954, in Wayne, a small town near Detroit, Michigan. Drawn to heavy metal music from an early age, he formed his first band, Destroy All Monsters, during high school. However, this was not a typical band; it was a conceptual art project that produced zines, papers, and performance pieces reminiscent of Dada theater. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Kelley moved to Los Angeles to study at the California Institute of the Arts.

During his time at the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, California, Kelley was influenced by the focus on Conceptual art promoted by professors John Baldessari, Laurie Anderson, and Douglas Huebler. This led him to create multimedia installations that combined large-scale drawings and paintings, writings, sculptures, videos, and performances, often exploring themes of scatology and sadomasochism. In the 1980s, Kelley transitioned away from music and performances, using materials like rags, dolls, and blankets to create some of his most recognizable works.

In the early 2010s, the artist's works were showcased in the world's greatest institutions, fetching millions at auctions, and he was receiving the recognition he rightfully deserved. However, on January 31, 2012, just as his retrospective at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam was set to open, the press and the art world were stunned by the news of Mike Kelley's suicide at his home in South Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California. Reports indicated that Kelley took his own life at the age of 57, using carbon monoxide poisoning.

Following the artist's death, a spontaneous outburst of grief occurred at the site near his studio in Los Angeles. People gathered to create makeshift installations resembling his famous "More Love Hours Than Can Ever Be Repaid and The Wages of Sin" artwork, bringing stuffed toys, blankets, and wax candles to celebrate his life and work. Later on, this mourning installation was donated to the Mike Kelley Foundation, which provides grants for innovative projects that reflect his multifaceted artistic practice.

Mike Kelley's Art Style

Mike Kelley's renowned art installation, "More Love Hours Than Can Ever Be Repaid and The Wages of Sin," created in 1987, comprises intertwined dolls, animals, and blankets sewn onto a large canvas. Through this piece, the artist delves into a fictional childhood scene with poignant emotion. The artwork delves into the intricate dynamics of parental love, questioning whether this love can, or should, ever be reciprocated.

In 1988, Kelley once again captured attention with another installation "Pay for Your Pleasure". The artwork explored the relationship between genius and madness. The installation included a gallery of portraits of brilliant men such as poets, philosophers, and artists. Each work was accompanied by a quote that suggested a connection between creativity and tendencies such as criminality and madness. At the end of the installation, there was an artwork created by the serial killer John Wayne Gacy. This artwork seemingly confirmed the theory presented in the installation.

In November 2005, Mike Kelley challenged himself and surprised the audience with an artwork titled "Day is Done," which addressed extracurricular activities of high school kids through a 2.5-hour-long video artwork. The piece features an array of religious and folk art motifs, as well as numerous unusual characters, including witches, a dancing devil, mimes, and demons. It focuses on trauma, abuse, and various types of socially acceptable deviations experienced by teenagers.

From 1999 to 2011, Kelley dedicated his time to working on his "Kandor" series, which reimagined the story of Superman.

Kelley was known for his versatility in producing collaborative works with other artists such as Paul McCarthy, Tony Oursler, and John Miller. His interests were wide-ranging and diverse, encompassing sexuality, repressed memory, religion, spirituality, the class system, and post-punk politics. Through his art, Kelley continuously challenged the boundaries between high and low culture by incorporating non-artistic objects such as blankets and toys into his pieces.