SHAN KELLEY (b.1977) WAS RAISED IN THE PRAIRIE BACKDROP OF ALBERTA, CANADA'S BEEF AND PETROLEUM HEARTLAND. HIS WORK SITS AMIDST A SLIPPAGE OF INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN ART AND ACTIVISM. IN HIS FASCINATION WITH LANGUAGE, KELLEY USES TEXT AS MATERIAL, TO SCRUTINIZE THE MANNER IN WHICH RELATIONSHIPS TO SELF, IDENTITY, BODY, AND POWER, ARE DECONSTRUCTED, CREATED, AND CURATED.
AFTER AN HIV+ DIAGNOSIS IN 2009, HE BECAME INCREASINGLY INSPIRED TO FIND HIS VOICE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF DISEASE AND ADVERSITY, AND TO PUSH FORWARD USING ART AS ACTION AGAINST APATHY OR SURRENDER.
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"TO EXIST AS A BEING WITH EMOTIONS, URGES, DESIRES, NEEDS, AND HIV, KELLEY CONSTRUCTS AND DECONSTRUCTS IDEAS OF THE SELF, MAINTAINING AN INSTABILITY TO HIS IDENTITY, CARVING OUT A SPACIOUSNESS REQUIRED TO BE HUMAN, WHILE BROADCASTING A STABLE IDEA OF HIMSELF ASSOCIATED WITH FALLIBILITY, HUMOR, THE INHUMANE, DEATH AND RISK."
- THEODORE (TED) KERR, FROM: SHAN KELLEY: CLEAN, FIT, AND DECEASE FREE