Mike Kelley’s exhibition, between nostalgia and bondage, a journey for a few people
By Beatrice Morandi
Mike Kelley was born and raised in Detroit. He obtained his degree in 1978 when he graduated with a Master of Fine Arts from the California Institute of the Arts. At the beginning of his career, Kelley started out with music, collaborating with friends to experiment with various objects they found on the streets. After this period, he embraced avant-garde art, influenced by his teachers in California. Kelley's initial focus was on poetry, which he combined with sculptures made from objects that "didn’t belong to anyone." Over time, his work evolved and was inspired by a diverse range of sources, including philosophy, politics, history, underground music, decorative arts, and working-class artistic expression. His art often explored themes such as class and gender issues, as well as concepts of normality, criminality, and perversion.
The captivating exhibition at The Tate Modern in Southbank is set to run until March 9, 2025, thanks to the generous support of the Mike Kelley Foundation. Upon stepping into each room, visitors are immediately enveloped by an array of distorted sounds, a haunting musical landscape that lingers in the air, immersing you in a unique auditory experience until the very last moment. Kelley's work, a rich tapestry woven from the late 1970s to the early 2000s, masterfully encapsulates the multifaceted nature of modern existence.
From the moment you enter the initial spaces, you are struck by the profound ways in which poetry can intersect with the mundane fabric of daily life. The rhythmic echo of a drum resonates deeply, triggering waves of childhood memories that transport you to a time when innocence reigned, creating a blissful illusion where time seems to stretch and stall.
As you navigate through the exhibition's various chambers, Kelley's artistic vision unfurls, revealing an increasingly poignant exploration of his personal battles with depression and the hidden sexual desires that society often relegates to the shadows. Through a lens of nostalgia, he carefully resurrects toys from his childhood that initially appear whimsical and lighthearted. However, closer inspection unveils a deeper complexity; these seemingly innocent relics are imbued with the weight of his struggles and the emotional turmoil of growing up amidst harsh realities. Kelley skillfully reinvents a fictionalized childhood scene, layering it with palpable emotion that resonates on a deeply human level, inviting the viewer to feel both his joy and his anguish.
In his work "Extracurricular Activity Projective Reconstruction (EAPR)" (2000–11), Mike Kelley took a unique approach by developing fictionalized screenplays based on individual images sourced from his collection of high school yearbook photos. These photos depicted various carnivalesque teenage rituals, such as hazings, dress-up days, and pageants. Kelley displayed each video alongside reconfigured props and set elements that were specifically created for its production.