fix THE ART AND LIFE OF FELIX KELLY
Donald Bassett
A book from Darrow Press
The BookThe career of Auckland-born artist Felix Kelly, 1914–1994 (‘Fix’ to his friends), is a fascinating story of artistic and social transformation – one of the most unusual amongst New Zealand’s expatriates. From graphic designer to Surrealist and Neo-romantic; from Lilliput cartoonist to stage designer for John Gielgud; from painter of architecture to revamper of Highgrove for the Prince of Wales, Kelly carefully nurtured his new identity. Like so many 20th-century gay men, Felix Kelly had to leave New Zealand to survive; but increasingly unrecognizable ‘memories’ of his home country continued to appear for over thirty years after his 1935 departure, intersecting with architectural fantasies on British and American themes. Felix Kelly was much more than the society painter he at first glance seems to have been. Donald Bassett teaches art and architectural history at the University of Auckland. Listener Book review of Fix: The Art & Life of Felix Kelly Exhibitions Felix Kelly: A Kiwi at Brideshead is an exhibition developed and toured by Hawke's Bay Museum & Art Gallery. The exhibition is curated by Donald Bassett and was stimulated by the publication of his book. Focused on Kelly’s output until the mid 1960s, the exhibition ranges from paintings to book illustrations, and from cartoons to design for the stage. This body of work shows Kelly as an artist of whimsical imagination and invention. It also adds a new complexity and depth to New Zealand’s art history. The exhibition has been seen in Napier, Lower Hutt and Auckland, 2008 - 2010 Listener's review of exhibition Felix Kelly: A Kiwi at Brideshead LINKS: |
