John Kelly

Artist statement

Concepts
During the past five years my work has increasingly concentrated upon the interpretation of landscape. This has resulted in a detailed or 'forensic' study of remote locations, analysing 'moments' experienced in these places. This has included a visit to Antarctica with the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). A key work in this development was the 'forensic shoreline' produced in 2001, and concerned with the coastline of Southern England.

Influences
Travel in foreign landscapes and environments. Travel and influence of architecture eg Islamic. Different ways of interpreting landscape. Photography, travel writing, collage etc. Including a knowledge of geology and geography resulting from twenty years of teaching the subject. Geological museum display/collaboration with geologists, meteorological records / instruments, sound recording, scientific input.

Career path
From more recent exhibitions it can be seen that museum venues are particularly suitable. For example, the work from Antarctica will be going to the Natural History Museum, Cheltenham Museum and the Pitt-Rivers Museum (Oxford). I see this as a distinct path which has enabled more co-operative work with science-based work and those involved within scientific organisations. This path of science based work will continue. In 2005 I shall be working with the scientists of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change at the University of East Anglia. The project is described as 'Flood Cycle' and will involve a number of travels to the polar areas and also areas of sea flood hazard.

Collections
Magdalen and Wolfson College, Oxford
Surrey University
Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum
Gallery 202, London
East Riding Museum
British Antarctic Survey

Publications
Poetry Anthology, Two Rivers Press
Due South, Signal Books, Oxford

Forthcoming shows
The Valley of Vision, Samuel Palmer, Sevenoaks Gallery
Due South, Museum of Zoology, Cambridge
Due South, Oxford Museum
Due South, Hull Maritime Museum