Kate Kelly
Born in East London, raised in Cambridge; I graduated with a First Class Honours from The University of Brighton. I studied Fine Art Painting, and following graduation I attended a variety of residencies. My first residency, by the Royal Drawing School, took place at Dumfries house. More recently I attended a two-month long residency at Organhaus in Chongqing, China. I am now living in Liverpool and running my own business: Kate Kelly, Artist. This allows me to work on a commission basis, painting portraits and more recently large-scale mural projects. My practice is heavily informed by feminist theory and gender, and running my own business allows my work to reflect this.
My practice continues the tradition of figurative oil painting. Exploring themes around feminism, gender and sexuality: exploring the concept of a female gaze. Within my portraiture works the sitters stare out with confronting demeanours as if the viewer is entering their space. They are self-aware and challenge the normalised, voyeuristic gaze that society has developed. I seek to adjust or subvert the relationship between the viewer and the viewed.
I am interested in giving womxn space. Inviting them to occupy space in the physical sense
and by suggestion in a broader political sense.
Website: www.kateemilykelly.co.uk
Instgam: https://www.instagram.com/katekelly5015/
