Credentials
“My interdisciplinary practice engages audiences in surprising ways to create open and evolving dialogues. Works often unsettle notions of corporeal and socio/political subjectivity, opening up a space for doubt around the status of the lived and material body. Intuitive work emerges in relation to specific contexts and sites, embodying the hauntings of history, the specific vernacular of place and a poetic turn of materials.”—Artist statement, 2021
Dr. Traci Kelly is an independent and interdisciplinary artist-scholar in live art practice with work spanning performance, visual and textual languages. In her research led projects she works on “collaboration” as a praxis, embodiment and theoretical driver via cooperative, dialogical, viral and rhizomatic operatives. She values the liminal, transitional and over-looked spaces in making and thinking to create dialogues. Her aim is to deform and decentralize what is seen/accepted real and to decontaminate, reveal and critically assert aspects that are not visible or felt. By that, her works are mostly context/site specific and draw on the history, place and materials. According to Kelly, the importance of the collaborative performativity is that it critiques boundaries of Self through the political inventiveness of intersubjectivity. She utilizes body, language, text, sound and sculptural materiality for her central performative process of skinning and un/touch. “Skin” is for her a cultural signifier and site of encounter that she approaches as a writerly ground and not reductive to the readerly—the spacing between touch and untouch to invent subjects. Her poetic and visceral imagery open up a space for doubt and question the status of body. The status of lived and material body which enters a twilight as notions of corporeal and socio/political subjectivity are unsettled.
Traci Kelly gained her doctorate from The University Reading in England (Performing Intersubjectivity2009) with a project investigating intersubjectivity and collaboration in live art practice. She formed part of the international research initiative Topographies of the Obsolete (Bergen Academy of Art and Design 2012–2014) looking at the politics, material residue and performativity of the post-industrial landscape on the site of a deteriorating ceramics factory in Stoke-on-Trent, UK. Her book Feeling It For You (Perspective) with Seer in Residence (Nottingham Trent University 2014) is an innovative model for a decentralized approach to research dynamics. Kelly has developed her own approach to academia and teaches independently across the Higher Education sector including Bergen Academy of Art and Design (Norway 2020), Ohio University (USA 2019), Burren College of Art (Ireland 2018) and University of É vora (Portugal 2009). In addition to her solo works, Kelly runs collaborative projects with artists Richard Hancock from UK (hancock & kelly, 2001); Rita Marhaug from Norway and Nisa Ojalvo from USA (Kelly|Marhaug|Ojalvo, 2012) and Dr. Rhiannon Jones from UK (Kelly + Jones, 2014).
Qualifications
2012 Post Grad Cert Ed; Nottingham Trent University, UK
2009 PhD Theatre/Fine Art; University of Reading, UK
2003 M.A. Fine Art; University of Central England, UK
2002 B.A. (Hons) Fine Art; Nottingham Trent University, UK
Honorary Positions
International Associate Research Fellow at Drama, Dance and Performance Studies Research Institute; De Montfort University, UK
Teaching
2021 Expert Respondent to Practice as Research as PhD candidate; Department of Drama, Dance and Performance Studies; De Montfort University; Leicester, UK
2020 Material Intimacy: 1-week workshop and tutorials (BA. & MA.); Ceramics Department; Faculty of Fine Art, Music and Design; University of Bergen, NO
2019 Tutorials (BA. & MA. Fine Art); Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughan, IE
2016 Presentation on research pathways (PhD candidates); Nottingham Trent University, UK
2013 Performing the Everyday: 3-day workshop (PhD candidates mentoring); Bergen Academy of Art and Design, NO
2010—2019 Contemporary Drawing Course Leader; Nottingham Trent University, UK
2009 97.3: hancock & kelly; Final major project module, Performing Arts (year 3); Melton-Brooksby College of Performing Arts, UK
2009 Performing the Everyday: 1-day performance workshop; The University of Lincoln, UK
2009 Viral Bodies: hancock & kelly; 7-day workshop and 8-hour public performance (BA. Theatre); University of Évora, PT
2008 Presentation on research pathways (PhD candidates); Reading University, UK
2004 The Body as Site: Elective module (BA. Fine Art; BA. Contemporary Art and BA. Fashion); Nottingham Trent University, UK
2002—2014 Lecturer in Fine Art, GNVQ Art and Design; New College Nottingham, UK
Creative Industry
2021 Peer Mentor; Dr. Laurel Jay Carpenter, advanced practitioner, USA/UK
2016 Selection Panel Member; Temping Failure Festival; London, UK
2014 External Examiner; Nicholas Kilby, MRes (practice-as-research): Crossing the Thresholds: Devising for the Transpersonal Witness; De Montfort University; Leicester, UK
2013—2014 Curator; Lace Market Gallery; Nottingham, UK
2012—2013 Panel Critic; Circuit Festival of Performance; De Montfort University; Leicester, UK
2007 Judge; Creative Organization Marketing Excellence Award; Nottingham Creative Network, UK
Artist Talks
2021 One-to-One performance for MA. performance students; Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
2021 In Passing: A series of three artist talks; Gymnasium in der Taus; Backnang, DE
2020 hancock & kelly works; Kurfürst Salentin Gymnasium; Andernach, DE
2019 hancock & kelly works; Burren College of Art; Ballyvaughan, IE
2019 hancock & kelly works; Ohio University; Ohio, USA
2019 hancock & kelly working internationally for advanced practitioners; In Dialogue Symposium; Islands and Continents
2013 Skin interference: BA., MA. and PhD Fine Art; Bergen Academy of Art and Design, NO
2013 Staging Subjects and Objects: Panel discussion; Performancebad#1; Hordaland Kunstsenter; Bergen, NO
2009 hancock & kelly works; University of Évora, PT
Exhibitions
2021 Gallerie 2, “Borrowed Landscape”, Kelly|Marhaug|Ojalvo; Stamsund, Lofoten Islands, NO
2021 Gedok, “Me, Myself and Europe”; Stuttgart, DE
2021 Format 21 Festival, “Cursive and Warped Horizon”; Derby, UK
2021 Gedok, Stuttgarter Filmwinter, “In Passing”; Stuttgart,DE
2020 The Glass Tank, “CaCo3”, Kelly + Jones; Oxford, UK
2020 Mayen mine, “Middaeg Performance for Silverbirch”; Burgbrohl, DE
2020 The Bermuda Project, “Honey Honey Series”; St. Louis, USA
2020 Exploritivº6, Kunstpavillion, Burgbrohl, “Fallen Gesture for Islanders, Homeland Gesture for Midnight Sun and Pipe Walk”, KELLY/MARHAUG; Burgbrohl, DE
2020 DieGeträumte Ausstellung, Kayoticmobil, Kunstbezirk, “Honey Sky and Night Honey”; Stuttgart, DE
2019 Nottingham Contemporary, “An Extraordinary Rendition”, hancock & kelly; Nottingham, UK
2019 Chicago Cultural Center, “An Extraordinary Rendition”, hancock & kelly; Chicago, USA
2018 Oberwelt,“Pink Horizon”; Stuttgart, DE
2018 Kunstgarasjen, “Borrowed Landscape”, Kelly|Marhaug|Ojalvo; Bergen, NO
2018 Le lieu, “RiAP: Art Action 1998—2018”, hancock & kelly; Quebec City, CA
2018 Gedok, “Feldarbeiten”; Stuttgart, DE
2017 WAKE Festival, “Union Parts I-V”, hancock & kelly; Folkestone, UK
2016 Bergen Kunsthall, “Pipe Walk”, KELLY/MARHAUG; NO
2016 Kraft Gallery, “The Drop”, KELLY/MARHAUG; Bergen, NO
2015 Nottingham Contemporary, “Sleight of Hand Bureau for Emancipated Touch”; UK
2015 5th Kjerringøy Land Art Biennale, “Observance/Tilstede”, KELLY/MARHAUG; NO
2015 Solyanka State Gallery, “Untitled Collaboration#1”, hancock & kelly; Moscow, RU
2015 “Lone Duets + In the Parlour”, hancock & kelly; Burkina Faso
2014 Backlit, “Import X port”; Nottingham, UK
2014 Tempting Failure, “Gilding The Lily”, hancock & kelly; Bristol, UK
2014 The Broadcaster, “Comings and Goings”; UK
2014 The Broadcaster, “Gatherings and Dispersals”; UK
2014 Gallerie Kraft, “The Drop from Chapter one: HoldingOn By Letting Go” KELLY/MARHAUG; NO
2013 Kino Kino Center for Contemporary Art and Film, “First Form from Chapter One: HoldingOn By Letting Go” and “Laying To Rest from Chapter Two: On Passing”, KELLY/MARHAUG; Sandnes and Stavanger, NO
2013 British Ceramics Biennial, “Phoenix”, KELLY/MARHAUG; Stoke-On-Trent, UK
2013 British Ceramics Biennial, “Slipping from Chapter Three: Mandarin Dust”, KELLY/MARHAUG; Stoke-On-Trent, UK
2013 Leprosy Museum, “Xenograftie (Artificial Sorrow)”; Bergen, NO
2013Gallery Rom 8, “Feeling It For You (Perspective)” at Liquid Bodies Solid Minds; Bergen, NO
2013 Bonington Gallery, “Feeling It For You (Perspective)” at From Where I Stand I Can See You; Nottingham, UK
2013 PRIMARY,“Touch V Touch”; Nottingham, UK
2013 Hatch, “Lost at Sea”; Nottingham, UK
2013 Vociferous Void exhibition, “Laying to Rest from Chapter two: On Passing”, KELLY/MARHAUG; Stoke-on-Trent, UK
2013 Vociferous Void exhibition, “First Form from Chapter One: Holding On by Letting Go”, KELLY/MARHAUG; Stoke-on-Trent, UK
2012 The Spode Factory, “Laying to Rest from Chapter two: On Passing”, KELLY/MARHAUG; Stoke-on-Trent, UK
2011 Between Sky & Sea III, “I land”, hancock & kelly; Herdla, NO
2010 Arnolfini, “Iconographia”, hancock & kelly; Bristol, UK
2010 Plateaux, “In Season”, hancock & kelly; Frankfurt, DE
2009 EPAF, “In Season”, hancock & kelly; Warsaw, PL
2009 Escrita Na Paisagem, “Iconographia”, hancock & kelly; Évora, PT
2009 N.R.L.A., “Lone Duets”, hancock & kelly; Glasgow, UK
2008 Bob Kayley Theatre, “Rupture”, hancock & kelly; Reading, UK
2007 Bonington Gallery, “The Mirror Pool”, hancock & kelly; Nottingham, UK
2007 Spill, Shaunt Vaults, “Tattoo”, hancock & kelly; London, UK
2007 Fierce! Festival, “Gilding the Lily”, hancock & kelly; Birmangham, UK
2006 Greenroom, “Untitled Collaboration#1”, hancock & kelly & Vason; Manchester, UK
2006 Angel Row Gallery, “In the Parlour”, hancock & kelly; Nottingham, UK
2006 Angel Row Gallery, “Migration”, hancock & kelly; Nottingham, UK
2006 Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Oaxaca, “Limpura Mi Blanca (Act of Contrition)”; Oaxaca, MX
2006 The powerhouse, “In Season”, hancock & kelly; Nottingham, UK
2005 “Performance Laboratory with Guillermo Gómez-Peña”; Oaxaca, MX
2005 The National Review Of Live Art, “With Held Breath with Richard Hancock”; Glasgow, UK
2004 Home, “Nine Performances with Milk with Richard Hancock”; London, UK
2004 The Powerhouse, “Nine Performances with Milk with Richard Hancock”; Nottingham, UK
2003 Site specific performance at green’s Mill, “Mother’s Pride”; Nottingham, UK
2002 Broadway Cinema, “Glissement with Richard Hancock”; Nottingham, UK
2002 The Powerhouse, “Glissement with Richard Hancock”; Nottingham, UK
2002 Islington Contemporary Art and Design Fair, “Glissement with Richard Hancock”; London, UK
2002 Beatrice Royal Contemporary Art and Craft, “Yoke”; Eastleigh, UK
Collections
SAIC Library and Special Collections; Chicago, USA
Archives
Dance4; Nottingham, UK
Live Art Archive; Theatre Collection, University of Bristol, UK
Die Schwarze Lade/The Black Kit; Köln, DE
Residencies
2021 Bee-eaters, Virtual Residency; UK-DE
2020 Explorativº6, Kunstpavillion Burgbrohl; Burgbrohl, DE
2020 Kayoticmobil, Invited to use a Piaggio Ape as mobile studio space; Stuttgart, DE
2019 Dance4, hancock & kelly; Nottingham, UK
2019 6018 North, hancock & kelly; Chicago, USA
2017 Backlit, hancock & kelly; Notingham, UK
2017 Between Sky and Sea: Tourism; Lofoten, NO
2016 Stiwdio Maelor, Kelly/Marhaug/Ojalvo; Wales, UK
2016 USF Verftet, International Artist-in-Residence; NO
2014 The Drawing Board, Site-specific writing residency, Kelly+Jones, PRIMARY; Nottingham, UK
2013 Topographies of the Obsolete, Abandoned Spode Factory (convened by Bergen Academy of Art and Design, Norway); Stoke-on-Trent, UK
2013 USF Verftet, International Artist-in-Residence(supported by Bergen Kommune); Bergen, NO
2012 Resurrecting the Obsolete, Abandoned Spode Factory (convened by Bergen Academy of Art and Design, Norway); Stoke-on-Trent, UK
2012 Summer Lodge, Nottingham Trent University; Nottingham, UK
2009 The National Review of Live Art: Artist-in-Residence, hancock & kelly; Glasgow, UK
2007 Critical Path, hancock & kelly; Sydney, AU
Curating
2014 Lace Market Gallery,“Seconds”, Joanne Lee and Debra Swann research exhibition; Nottingham, UK
2014 Lace Market Gallery, “Up to No Good”, Craig Fisher solo exhibition; Nottingham, UK
2014 Lace Market Gallery, “Smash”, John Harris, Jake Kent, Corinna Thornton, Bruce Asbestos, Vegard Vindenes; Nottingham, UK
2013 Lace Market Gallery, “The Voice and the Object”, Lynn Fulton, Krystina Naylor, Leila Al-Yousuf; Nottingham, UK
Research & Scholarship
2020 “Borderlines”, De Montfort University drama and dance annual conference. Invited speaker with workshop; Leicester, UK and online
2019 “Un/Resting and Re-Verbing”, International panel convener and speaker for In Dialogue Symposium, Derby Theatre; Derby, UK
2014 “To Provoke Tears: Performing Histories of Induced Weeping”, TaPRA annual conference, Royal Holloway; London, UK
2014 “To Provoke Tears: Performing Histories of Induced Weeping”, Institut National d’Histoire de l’Arte, Paris-Sorbonne Université; Paris, FR
2012 “Performing Documents”, Symposium panel member, Arnolfini/Bristol University; Bristol, UK
2012 “Lone Duets: Gestures that Speak and Collaboration in the Spacings”, In Dialogue symposium, Nottingham Contemporary; Nottingham, UK
2011 “Lone Duets Redux and Failing Bodies”, TaPRA annual conference, Kingston University; London, UK
2010 “A Terrain Full of Errors”, Presentation at The National Academy of Arts; Bergen, NO
2009 “Performing Intersubjectivity”, Doctoral research, University of Reading; UK
2008 “Witness as Dramaturg”, Conference co-leader; London, UK
2008 “Iconographia”, PSi14, Interregnum; Copenhagen, DK
2008 “The (Im)possible Body”, The Body in Culture conference, Bowling Green State University; Ohio, USA
2007 “Memory at the Intersection of Body and Culture”, Critical Path; Sydney, AU
2007 “Models of Collaboration (AHRC)”; San Francisco, USA
2007 “Photography, Performance & Collaboration Symposium”, Symposium panel member, Arnolfini; Bristol, UK
2006 “Pumping Up the Volume: Cultural Fusion and Lived Realities in the Work of Guillermo Gómez-Peña”, Fusion Cultures conference, The University of Greenwich; UK
Publications
2020 Un/Writing the Landscape, Re/Figuring the Body. Norway: PABlish.
2020 “For We Are More than Lines.” Unlikely digital journal for the creative arts. Australia: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
2020 “Un/Framing the Potential in All Things.” Wenz und Römpp catalogue introduction. Deutschland.
2019“Union (Part II: Affective Labour).” Stillpoint digital magazine, 003: Fallow.
2019 “Right Here Over There.” Between Sky & Sea, V: Tourism. Norway: PABlish.
2018 “Playing with Shadows, Speaking in Echoes.” In Artists in the Archive: Creative and Curatorial Engagements with Documents of Art and Performance, edited by Paul Clark, Simon Jones, Nick Kaye and Johanna Linsley. London: Routledge.
2018 “Dedicated to the Fold.” In States of Wake: Dedicating Performance, edited by Diana Damian. Folkstone: Performance Space.
2017 “I/We Medusa.” In Kira O’Reilly: Untitled (Bodies), edited by Harriet Curtis and Martin Hargreaves. Bristol: Intellect.
2017 “Corporeal Breaches and Troubled Terrains.” In Liquid Body, Solid Mind, edited by Rita Marhaug. Norway: PABlish.
2016 Appalling Manners (photographic document with Rita Marhaug and text by Bjarte Bjørkum). Norway: PABlish.
2015 “Apertures and Architectures.” In Topographies of the Obsolete: Site Reflections, editedby Anne Helen Mydland and Neil Brownsword. Norway: Bergen Academy of Art and Design.
2015 “Vertical Horizons: Critical Hauntings and the Interconnect of Body and Place.” In Between Sky and Sea IV: Given Place, edited by Rita Marhaug. Norway: PABlish.
2014 “The Death Drawings.” In Seer-in-Residence, published by Deborah Harty. ISSUU.
2014 Feeling It for You (Perspective) with Seers in Residence: An Interactive Research Model for Creative Practices. Nottingham:Nottingham Trent University.
2013 “Eating Skins: Paper, Ink and Flesh in Six Courses.” Nyx, A Noctournal. Issue 8: Skin.
2012 “Postcards from the Powerhouse.” NVA, 7, edited by Jennie Syson.
2010 “Exercises in Nothing Less than Oxygen Nothing Shorter than Breath.” NRLA 30th Anniversary catalogue.
2007 “I Thought You’d Never Come.” Edited by Dominic Johnson. Bristol: Arnolfini.
2007 “Untitled Collaboration #1, #2, #3 & #4.” Edited by Dominic Johnson. Bristol: Arnolfini.
Bibliography
2019 Klein, Jennie. “On Coal, Labour, Collaboration and Union: An Interview with Richard Hancock and Traci Kelly.” Contemporary Theatre Review. 29.3.
2019 Klein, Jennie. “An Extraordinary Rendition: Responding to Child, Soldier, Torture Man.” Contemporary Theatre Review, Interventions content.
2012 Johnson, Dominic. “Intimacy.” In Histories and Practices of Live Art, edited by Deirde Hedden and Jenie Klein. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
2009 Klein, Jennie. “Small Acts of Great Import.” Dance Theatre Journal, 23.3.
2009 Chamberlain, Franc. “Playing with Post-Secular Performance.” Performance Art Journal, 31.
2007 Johnson, Dominic. “In the UK.” Western European Stages, 19.1.
2006 “Excess.” Exhibition Catalogue, The Angel Row Gallery. Nottingham, UK.
2005 Johnson, Dominic. “Geometries of Trust.” Dance Theatre Journal, 20.4.
Citations
2015 First Move: Performance Art Bergen 2011—2015. Norway: Performance Art Bergen.
2012 Duggan, Patrick. Trauma-Tragedy: Symptoms of Contemporary Performance. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
2010 Behrndt, Synne K. “Dance, Dramaturgy and Dramaturgical Thinking.” Contemporary Theater Review, 20.2.
