Adrift In A..., 2023
Jay Kelly, born in 1975 in California, is a self-taught artist renowned for his photorealistic collages created from found paper materials. After graduating from UCLA with a B.A. in Sociology in 1997, Kelly began his career in graphic design before transitioning to fine art. His artistic style evolved in the late 1990s when he started experimenting with figurative collage, eventually developing his signature technique of creating works composed entirely of vintage magazines, books, and old maps.
Kelly's meticulous process involves recreating selected images using hand-torn pieces of paper, gradually building shadows and highlights to achieve a remarkably photorealistic effect. His work has been featured in solo exhibitions across the United States since 2006 and is represented by galleries throughout the U.S., Canada, and Germany. Kelly's collages have also appeared in television shows and films, and can be found in various public spaces across major U.S. cities.
Kelly's meticulous process involves recreating selected images using hand-torn pieces of paper, gradually building shadows and highlights to achieve a remarkably photorealistic effect. His work has been featured in solo exhibitions across the United States since 2006 and is represented by galleries throughout the U.S., Canada, and Germany. Kelly's collages have also appeared in television shows and films, and can be found in various public spaces across major U.S. cities.