Beschreibung:

Kelly, Philip 1950-2010 British/Irish AR, Angel of the Revolution. 36 x 25 (71 x 56 cms.), Oil Pastel, Signed. Label verso: RA Summer Exhibition 1993. Phil had an interesting early career - expelled from Rugby, travelled to Africa, qualified with a BA in Art and French at Bristol University in 1973 and then did many and varied odd jobs whilst painting and travelling to Africa, Britain, Europe and America. Finally he was in the USA deciding what he wanted to do, he tossed a coin between staying in America and going to Mexico, Mexico won. He arrived penniless in Mexico City, but soon gained a job teaching English. He changed his job to work in film, where he began to meet other painters, which helped him develop his art. He started to sell his paintings and soon became well known. He appeared on television and had a number of exhibitions before the earthquake in 1985. He had gone to California to help a business friend translate his contracts and watched on television what was happening in Mexico City. He saw that the block of flats where he lived was flattened - he had lost all his work and his partner had been killed. He came back to Britain to recover, but soon found the grey climate, expensive beer and life did not suit, so returned to Mexico, where he became one of the leading painters culminating in his one man exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City, 1996, where he received extensive critical acclaim. Kelly worked on the floor kneeling, so that he could move right round the painting and more easily develop his evolving ideas. He began slowly at first, but soon worked frantically fast. To him the whole act of painting was physical. He had a wonderful ability to draw very well, which helped him develop his expressionist ideas. Phil was influenced by the Cobra group and Frank Auerbach in particular. He had a number of exhibitions in London organised by Jonathan Riley and opened by Philip's old friend Jeremy Paxman, which were extremely successful. Jonathan Riley introduced Kelly's work to David Britton at the Frederick Gallery, Dublin, who gave Philip several successful exhibitions, which even aroused the interest of RTE. After a gap of some fallow years, his paintings are now beginning to fetch many thousands at auctions in Mexico.