William Kelly (artist)
Encyclopedia
William Kelly is an American
artist
, humanist
and human-rights advocate. He was born in Buffalo, New York
and received his artistic training at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia
and the National Gallery School in Melbourne
, Victoria (Australia)
. He is also a Fulbright Fellow and former Dean (1975–1982) of the Victorian College of the Arts
in Australia. He has delivered guest lectures at Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
, The New York Studio School and others in Europe, South Africa, North America, Eastern Europe, Australasia and has had his work reproduced in publications worldwide as well as being represented in over 40 public and corporate collections.
In addition to creating traditional prints, drawings and paintings, Kelly has organized and participated in collaborations in public art
and theatre. Kelly promotes his humanist
ideals in his art, for example; in response to a 1987 mass murder in Melbourne, Kelly spent five years on works for an installation titled "The Peace Project." "The Peace Project" was first exhibited in 1993 in both Melbourne
and Boston, Massachusetts. It was the first visual art project to receive the Australian Violence Prevention Award. His work has been exhibited in over 20 countries with a current installation in Guernica
, Spain and current traveling group exhibitions throughout Europe and also South Africa (representing Australia in the Dialogue Among Civilizations International Print Portfolio organized to coincide with the cultural activities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
).
Kelly authored an anthology, Violence to Nonviolence: Individual Perspectives, Communal Voices, that was published in 1994. His artwork has also appeared in other books, such as Cultures of Crime and Violence: The Australian Experience and "Women's Encounters with Violence.
In 2000 Kelly founded the Archive of Humanist Art, which highlights prints and drawings of artists from all over the world that address humanist concerns. Kelly is acknowledged for the contribution his work makes to the areas of human rights, social justice and reconciliation both nationally and internationally – with projects linked to the Basque Country, Spain; Robben Island
, site of the notorious prison that once held Nelson Mandela
; the Republic of Georgia and Northern Ireland.
He currently has studios in Melbourne and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
. He lives and works in Nathalia in regional Victoria, where in 2010 he established the G.R.A.I.N. Store (Growing Rural Art in Nathalia) , a not-for-profit rural arts centre with a regular schedule of exhibitions, performances and workshops by visiting, local and indigenous emerging and established creative artists.
He was recipient of an OAM (for Services to Visual Arts and Urban Design). He is Founding and Honorary Life Member of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Founding Member of the Urban Design Forum, and former member of the Board of the Australian Print Workshop.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
and human-rights advocate. He was born in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and received his artistic training at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia
University of the Arts (Philadelphia)
The University of the Arts is one of the United States' oldest universities dedicated to the arts. Its campus makes up part of the Avenue of the Arts in Center City, Philadelphia...
and the National Gallery School in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria (Australia)
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. He is also a Fulbright Fellow and former Dean (1975–1982) of the Victorian College of the Arts
Victorian College of the Arts
The Faculty of the VCA and Music is a faculty of the University of Melbourne, in Victoria . VCAM is located near the Melbourne central business district, on two campuses, one - the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - on the Parkville campus of the University of Melbourne, and the other - the...
in Australia. He has delivered guest lectures at Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
The Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, founded in 1847, is one of the oldest graduate schools in the United States. It conferred the first Ph.D...
, The New York Studio School and others in Europe, South Africa, North America, Eastern Europe, Australasia and has had his work reproduced in publications worldwide as well as being represented in over 40 public and corporate collections.
In addition to creating traditional prints, drawings and paintings, Kelly has organized and participated in collaborations in public art
Public art
The term public art properly refers to works of art in any media that have been planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the physical public domain, usually outside and accessible to all...
and theatre. Kelly promotes his humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
ideals in his art, for example; in response to a 1987 mass murder in Melbourne, Kelly spent five years on works for an installation titled "The Peace Project." "The Peace Project" was first exhibited in 1993 in both Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Boston, Massachusetts. It was the first visual art project to receive the Australian Violence Prevention Award. His work has been exhibited in over 20 countries with a current installation in Guernica
Guernica
Guernica may refer to:* Guernica , Spanish Basque town, historical capital of Biscay* Bombing of Guernica, an attack on April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War* Guernica , a 1937 painting by Pablo Picasso...
, Spain and current traveling group exhibitions throughout Europe and also South Africa (representing Australia in the Dialogue Among Civilizations International Print Portfolio organized to coincide with the cultural activities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
).
Kelly authored an anthology, Violence to Nonviolence: Individual Perspectives, Communal Voices, that was published in 1994. His artwork has also appeared in other books, such as Cultures of Crime and Violence: The Australian Experience and "Women's Encounters with Violence.
In 2000 Kelly founded the Archive of Humanist Art, which highlights prints and drawings of artists from all over the world that address humanist concerns. Kelly is acknowledged for the contribution his work makes to the areas of human rights, social justice and reconciliation both nationally and internationally – with projects linked to the Basque Country, Spain; Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. The name is Dutch for "seal island". Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 km long north-south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.07 km². It is flat and only a...
, site of the notorious prison that once held Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
; the Republic of Georgia and Northern Ireland.
He currently has studios in Melbourne and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
. He lives and works in Nathalia in regional Victoria, where in 2010 he established the G.R.A.I.N. Store (Growing Rural Art in Nathalia) , a not-for-profit rural arts centre with a regular schedule of exhibitions, performances and workshops by visiting, local and indigenous emerging and established creative artists.
Awards
For his role as an international artist, humanist, human rights advocate, and founder of the Archive of Humanist Art http://www.humanistart.com/, Kelly received the Courage of Conscience Award http://www.peaceabbey.org/awards/peace_award.htm from The Peace Abbey in Sherborn, Massachusetts http://www.peaceabbey.org/awards/cocrecipientlist.html.He was recipient of an OAM (for Services to Visual Arts and Urban Design). He is Founding and Honorary Life Member of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Founding Member of the Urban Design Forum, and former member of the Board of the Australian Print Workshop.
External links
- Archive of Humanist Art
- The Peace Abbey
- Studio International site "William Kelly – Artist as Peacemaker"
- Dictionary of Australian Artists Online entry
- Prints and Printmaking Database of Catalogues
- William Kelly's 'Markers Along the Way' at the Shepparton Art Gallery Media Release: Thursday 13 July 2006
- Screenprint poster by William Kelly
- 2009 Mars Gallery Exhibition images
- Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery Exhibition History 1975 to April 1987
- record of work in National Gallery of Australia collection
- Transcript of nterview with Julie Copeland on Australian Broadcasting Commission program 'Exhibit A' 28 May 2006
- http://www.thegrainstore.org/