Keltie Ferris
Boy Genius
March 3 - April 14, 2007
Vendetta Washington. 2007.
Acrylic, spraypaint on canvas. 40" X 35"
Kinkead Contemporary in collaboration with Scenic is proud to present the first solo exhibition of Keltie Ferris. In a brilliant array, Boy Genius shows off striking, somewhat frantic gestural abstractions concerned with identity and abstract action painting itself.
Ferris builds several of her paintings upon the recurring image of the mask. In doing so she playfully engages in the tropes of macho identity. For Ferris, boy genius is about "embedding [herself] in a sexist and ageist world. It's about illusion, perception and fluid identity." She playfully connects with her viewer through her title while recognizing the inherent and unavoidable constraints and expectations for a young artist.
The mask also subtly reveals her process of painting, by layering and peeling, and finally, exposing. These energetic paintings slowly reveal their riotous construction within the structure of the frame. Upon first glance, Ferris' marks seem to bounce outside the confines of the frame's physical dimensions. Yet, it is in these unrestrained moments that the work is tied to together into a cohesive and charged experience.
Ferris' paintings engage in contemporary narrative of simultaneously denying and applauding modern painting traditions. She adopts a variety of forms of mark making, from the traditional gestures of action painting to the surprising application of spray paint more commonly found in graffiti and airbrushed t-shirts. At the heart of these mischievous works lies an undeniable homage to action painting and an earnest bearing of self.
About the Artist
Keltie Ferris received her MFA from the Yale School of Art, where she received the Carol Schlosberg Memorial Prize for excellence in painting. In the past year she has exhibited at Jack Tilton Gallery and John Connelly Presents. She is also the recipient of both a Jacob Javits Fellowship (2005), and a Rema Hort Mann Foundation Grant (2006). Six of her works are currently on display in Michael and Susan Hort's collection.
About the Organizer
Scenic is a New York-based arts advisory and curatorial agency founded by Simon Watson and Craig Hensala. With 35-years combined experience in the contemporary arts scene, Scenic has created more than 20 solo and group exhibitions over the past three years in association with clients such as Amnesty International, Bergdorf Goodman, Chanel, Coalition for the Homeless/ARTWALK NY, Susan & Michael Hort Collection, Kavi Gupta Gallery, LightBox, Marc Selwyn Fine Art, Perry Rubenstein Gallery, Planned Parenthood/LA, Roberts & Tilton, Rhona Hoffman Gallery and others.
