Kevin T. Kelly: Incite

The "incite" entry in the dictionary offers definitions such as "to urge on" and "to stir up." Artist Kevin Kelly is opening Incite--a new exhibit of his paintings--at Rymer Gallery this month, but it's likely that his definitions would veer closer to "mix together" and "get silly with." Kelly's work leans heavily on Roy Lichtenstein, directly quoting the artist in some of his pieces. His paintings borrow more from pop art itself than from pop culture, and seem to favor images pulled from his porno collection. As artists from William Burroughs to David and Salle have demonstrated, a juxtaposition does not always a statement make, but the irreverence of Kelly's approach almost earns him a pass, and makes his art a lot of fun to look at.
Sept. 27-Oct. 25, 2008