Mary Reid Kelley creates videos, photographs, and drawings based on her humorous and poignant renditions of ancient Greek mythology and historical events. Her scripts are densely woven with complex multi-lingual word play, literary and artistic allusions, and lascivious puns that burlesque the master narratives and gender politics of war and myth, giving them a grotesquely comic feminist twist. Produced with Patrick Kelley, Reid Kelley’s videos feature costumes, props, and black-and-white aesthetics that pay homage to many visual worlds, including Cubism, early cinema, and cartoons.
“Mary Reid Kelley wields her scripts like swords, recasting historical narratives with nimble and heartfelt humor,” says High Line Art Assistant Curator Melanie Kress. “We are thrilled to be able to share Reid Kelley’s sage approach to history on the High Line, itself a historical artifact and home to myriad ever-changing narratives.”
1 September – 2 November 2016
Mary Reid Kelley: We’re wallowing here in your disco tent
High line art
14th Street Passagem, High Line, New York