Mike Kelley: Ghost and Spirit

This retrospective captures the essence of Mike Kelley's influential career, showcasing his diverse body of work and its lasting impact on contemporary art.

The first comprehensive posthumous retrospective, Mike Kelley: Ghost and Spirit emphasizes the importance of Kelley’s impactful four-decade career on contemporary art since the 1970s. As a pivotal figure, Mike Kelley (1954–2012) is renowned for his innovative and daring approach that encompassed various forms of expression including performance, installation, drawing, painting, video, photography, sound, text, and sculpture. This book delves into his vibrant and intricate body of work, showcasing everything from his early performances to his notable stuffed toy creations, as well as his profound investigations into themes of history, memory, and trauma that shape our understanding of family and educational experiences.

Mike Kelley: Ghost and Spirit raises critical inquiries about navigating a world saturated with media imagery, the role of art and the artist, and the concept of embodiment. Kelley often adopted diverse personas and utilized multiple mediums, intentionally undermining his own prominence while challenging societal norms regarding identity, class, and institutional power dynamics, particularly as a white, heterosexual male in a postmodern, capitalist context.

This retrospective brings together a wide array of perspectives that highlight Kelley’s 'lingering influence,' capturing the complexity and ongoing relevance of his extraordinary artistic practice. Through this exploration, readers are invited to engage with the multifaceted layers of Kelley’s work, which continues to resonate and provoke thought in today’s art landscape.