JONATHAN KELHAM [BORN 1986, EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE, UK.] LIVES & WORKS IN THE UK.
HIS WORK PREDOMINATELY EXPLORES THE CONSTRUCTION OF A ROMANTICISED, MELANCHOLIC NOTION OF ENGLISHNESS PRESENTED IN THE REOCCURRING QUALITIES OF SUBJECTIVE UTOPIAN PHILOSOPHIES. JONATHAN COMPLETED AN MFA & POSTGRADUATE TEACHING QUALIFICATION AT BIRMINGHAM INSTITUTE OF ART & DESIGN [UK.]
PREVIOUS SOLO EXHIBITIONS AND RESIDENCIES SINCE 2012 INCLUDE: EXETER AFTERMATH EXETER PHOENIX [UK], LEADERS OF MEN TOWN HALL TOUR MEANTIME SPOJECT SPACE [UK] AND PLAYLEADERSPLAY! A CITY-WIDE PARTICIPATORY PROJECT WITH GENERATOR PROJECTS/DUNDEE COUNTY COUNCIL [UK.].
GROUP SHOWS SINCE 2012 INCLUDE: SUMMER FETE CERI HAND GALLERY, DEPTFORD X INTERNATIONAL 2012 & 2015, STAND AND SEE WIMBLEDON SPACE [LONDON], LOT NO. LIONEL DOBIE PROJECT [MANCHESTER], FLATPACK FESTIVAL, THE EVENT AT THE LOMBARD METHOD [BIRMINGHAM], YUCK N’ YUM DUNDEE CONTEMPORARY ARTS [DUNDEE], I AM A WARRIOR | PLAYGROUND JOHN HANSARD GALLERY [SOUTHAMPTON], STREAMING FESTIVAL [HAGUE] AND DISCO IMPOSSIBLE [ZURICH]. IN 2013-14 JONATHAN WAS ARTIST IN RESIDENCE AT CAMBERWELL COLLEGE OF ARTS [UAL, UK].
JONATHAN IS A SENIOR LECTURER & PROGRAMME CO-ORDINATOR FOR THE INTEGRATED FOUNDATION IN ART & DESIGN AT BATH SPA UNIVERSITY. VISITING ARTIST LECTURER ROLES INCLUDE: UNIVERSITY OF CHICHESTER | UNIVERSITY OF SUNDERLAND | CAMBERWELL COLLEGE OF THE ARTS & BIRMINGHAM INSTITUTE OF ART & DESIGN [UK.]. WHILST PREVIOUS ACE FUNDED ARTS AND EDUCATION PRACTICE-LED RESEARCH INCLUDES RESIDENCY A&E [CHELTENHAM] AND 5X5X5=WORCESTER ACTION RESIDENCY WITH NATHANIEL PITT [WORCESTER].
CURATORIAL PROJECTS INCLUDE: ACE FUNDED & BRITISH ART SHOW 8 ASSOCIATE PROGRAMME, UGO PROJECT SPACE [SOUTHAMPTON], PRESENTING LARGE SCALE, PUBLIC ARTWORKS [S MARK GUBB | STUART WHIPPS] IN A BILLBOARD FORMAT.
IN 2018 UCC RESEARCH FUNDED UGO 0.2: DIGITAL PROJECT SPACE, WAS LAUNCHED. THE PROJECT SPACE INTENDS TO THEORISE, TEST AND CONSIDER THE INCREASED FOCUS IN DIGITAL PRODUCTION AND CURATION IN CONTEMPORARY FINE ART PRACTICE.
THE DEVELOPING OUTPUT FORMS A PROGRAMME OF COLLABORATIVE, TEMPORARY, FORMAL AND SOLO RESEARCH PRACTICE PROJECTS BY STUDENTS, STAFF AND INVITED ARTISTS. COMMISSIONS INCLUDE: HANDLE THIS OLIVIA BAX, SIMILITUDES DAVE EVANS, THE UNION OF HUMAN INTELLIGENCE TASKWORKERS CHRIS ALTON AND VELÁZQUEZ VARIATIONS JOHN ROBINSON.