Education
2014
MFA in Photography, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
2003
BA in Social Economics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
Academic Appointments
2019-Pr.
Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky, School of Art and Visual Studies, Lexington, KY
2017-19
Post-MFA Photography Fellow, University of Georgia, Lamar Dodd School of Art, Athens, GA
2014-17
I have held teaching positions at Virginia Commonwealth University, Syracuse University, the University of Rochester, Brown University, and the Rhode Island School of Design.
Selected Exhibitions
2023
Michael (forthcoming), Glassell Gallery, Louisiana State University. Curated by Kristine Thompson.
2022
Believe (juried), Helsinki Photo Festival, Espoo, Finland
Connectivity Tables, Veddel Space (Hyper Cultural Passengers), Hamburg, DE. Collaborative project with Duygu Ağal (Germany), James Enos (GA), and Derya Yildirim (Germany). Curated by Michael Kress.
Meeting Point (juried), Photo Is:Rael, Nahariya, Israel
Port Futures & Social Logistics (online exhibition), University of Georgia, Curators: Jan Derk Diekema (HAVIK, NL), Stephen Ramos, James Enos, and Annie Simpson.
Variance: Making, Unmaking, and Remaking Disability, RISD Museum, Providence, RI
2021
SECAC Juried Exhibition, Bolivar Gallery, University of Kentucky. Juried by Joey Yates.
Biodiversity | Cultural Diversity, Hugh N. Ronald Gallery, Portland, IN
Collaborating with the Archive, Filter Space, Chicago, IL. Curated by Mary Statzer.
Multiple Exposures, SPE Northeast Juried Exhibition, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY. Juried by Steve Skopik, Risham Majeed, and Clare Benson.
Meeting Point, Photo Is:Rael, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Tunnel Vision: Select Works from Michael by Forest Kelley (solo), 934 Gallery, Columbus, OH
Faculty Series Vol. IV, Bolivar Art Gallery, Lexington, KY
2020
Full House, Localhost Gallery, Saint Louis, MI
Spring 2020, Streit House Space, Poughkeepsie, NY. Curated by Jordanna Kalman.
Analogue, 378 Gallery, Atlanta, GA. Curated by Talia Moscovitz.
Rotterdam Photo, Deliplein, Rotterdam, Netherlands
World Press Photo, Laurenskerk, Rotterdam, Netherlands
2019
If I could Turn Back Time, Morlan Gallery, Transylvania University, Lexington, KY. Curated by Paul Michael Brown.
State of Photography, Louisville Photo Biennial, Anne Wright Wilson Gallery, Georgetown College, Georgetown, KY
Studio 300 Digital Art and Music Festival, Transylvania University, Lexington, KY
Live* from CICADA, CICADA, Ogden, UT
2018
Michael (solo), 1708 Gallery, Richmond, VA
Emerges: Collaborations, Athens Institute for Contemporary Art, Athens, GA. Curated by Kira Hegeman and Jon Vogt.
Michael (solo), Suite Gallery, Lamar Dodd School of Art, Athens, GA
2017
Emerging Artists Auction, Daniel Cooney Fine Art, New York, NY
2015
The Gun Show, Flash Forward Festival, Boston, MA. Curated by Maja Orsic of Robert Klein Gallery.
The Soul & the Pawnshop, Sediment Gallery, Richmond, VA
2014
Pale Firework, Gelman Gallery, Providence, RI
Seven Stories Tall, Clamp Art, New York, NY
RISD Graduate Thesis Exhibition, Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, RI
The Beloved Community, Exposé Gallery, Providence, RI
2013
Nature’s Gifts, Warwick Art Museum, Warwick, RI
Cloaked and Crashing, Exposé Gallery, Providence, RI
My Soles Have These Stories, Sideways Gallery, Boston, MA
Under the Influence, Gelman Gallery, Providence, RI
All The Dire Motives, Sol Koffler Gallery, Providence, RI
Complexity, Gelman Gallery, Providence, RI
Arc of Alchemy, Sol Koffler Gallery, Providence, RI
2012
First Year MFA Photography, Red Eye Gallery, Providence, RI
2010
Casual Abyss, Hamburger Eyes, San Francisco, CA
2009
Pop Noir, Southern Exposure Gallery/Electric Works, San Francisco, CA
2008
I Feel I am Free But I Know I am Not, SF Camerawork, San Francisco, CA
Optic Illusion, Southern Exposure, San Francisco, CA
Getting Closer, Spare Room Project, San Francisco, CA
Film Screenings
2022
Supply Air / Return Air, Hyper Cultural Passengers, Veddel Space, Hamburg, Germany
Supply Air / Return Air, Zou-no-hana Terrace, Yokohama, Japan
Supply Air / Return Air, Bierumer School, Bierum, Netherlands
Supply Air / Return Air, Pier2 Artcentre, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Awards / Grants / Residencies (Selected)
2022
Playa Residency, OR
2020
Critical Mass Top 50 Award, Photolucida.
Imagemaker Award, Society for Photographic Education.
2019
Peabody Award, Documentary, Hale County This Morning, This Evening
2018
Best Music Score, International Documentary Association, Hale County This Morning, This Evening (Composers: Scott Alario, Forest Kelley and Alex Somers)
2014
Graduate Studies Grant, Rhode Island School of Design. Jurors: Michael Mandiberg and Allan Wexler.
2013
Graduate Studies Grant, Rhode Island School of Design. Jurors: Alyson Baker and João Ribas.
