Execute Magazine

Artist a Day: Mike Kelley

Mike Kelley  (1954-2012) 

Escaping from his middle-class origins, Mike Kelley found a new life in the counterculture of the 1980s.

Untitled, 1999 

Mike`s Works

Prints and multiples, Iris print, 76.2 x 55.9 cm.

Winter's Stillness #1,  1985

Mike`s Works

Works on paper, Synthetic polymer on paper, 168.3 x 106.7 cm.

He experimented with many different styles, such as performance and video - even though he was primarily an artist who dealt with found objects, textile banners, drawings, and collages.

Reconstructed History,  1989 

Mike`s Works

Works on paper, Ink on paper mounted on paper, in fifty parts, 28.3 x 21.6 cm.

Twisted Shamrock, 1989 

Mike`s Works

Prints and multiples, Silkscreen on China Silk Habotai ,134.6 x 96.5 cm.

He was often in collaborations and had produced projects with artists such as Paul McCarthy, Tony Oursler, and John Miller.

Hangin’-Heavy-Hairy-Horny,  1989 

Mike`s Works

Prints and multiples, Silk screen on China Silk Habotai , 134.6 x 96.5 cm.

Pansy Metal/Clovered Hoof,  1989 

Mike`s Works

Prints and multiples, Ten oversized silk scarves: Silk screen on China Silk Habotai ,134.6 x 96.5 cm.

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Peat Spade, 1989 

Mike`s Works

Prints and multiples, Silk screen on China Silk Habotai , 134.6 x 96.5 cm.

The Thirteen Seasons (Heavy on the Winter)#6: Fall,  1994 

Mike`s Works

Paintings, acrylic on wood , 158.8 x 101.6 cm.

Born: October 27, 1954, Wayne, MI Died: January 31, 2012, South Pasadena, CA Selected Artworks:  Incorrect Sexual Model: Mommy's Peni

Unlucky Clover, 1989 

Mike`s Works

Prints and multiples, Silk screen on China Silk Habotai , 134.6 x 96.5 cm.

Memory Ware Flat #29,  2001 

Mike`s Works

Sculpture, Mixed media on board, 178.4 x 118.1 x 10.2 cm.

"Art saved my life. Art was the place that made me want to educate myself. When I became an artist, it was where the most interesting thinkers were."  -Mike Kelley