Keith Lemley is a sculptor and installation artist who creates immersive environments of objects and light. He received his MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2010. Lemley’s work has been shown extensively nationally and internationally in solo exhibitions at venues including LMAKgallery (NYC); Mixed Greens (NYC); The Sculpture Center (Cleveland, OH); 1708 Gallery (Richmond, VA); The Soap Factory (Minneapolis, MN); the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art (Grand Rapids, MI); Summerhall (Edinburgh, United Kingdom); Smith Center for the Arts (Providence, RI); and Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (Pittsburgh, PA). Group exhibition venues include the Museum of Modern Art (NYC); UrbanGlass (NYC); Family Business (NYC); Dowd Gallery (Cortland, NY); Glazenhuis National Museum (Lommel, Belgium); Dubuque Museum of Art (Dubuque, IA); and the Dishman Art Museum (Beaumont, TX). He recently completed a commission for the lobby of the W Las Vegas and splits his time between Core, WV, and Kent, OH.
b. 1981 Morgantown,WV. Lives and works in Kent, OH and Core, WV.
Education
2010 MFA, Sculpture, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI
2009 MA, Sculpture, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI
2005 BFA, Sculpture, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Solo Exhibitions and Projects
2019
Urban Glass, Brooklyn, NY
2018
Deep Time, LMAKgallery, NY, NY
2017
A Theory of Everything, Woskob Wall, Penn State Theater Center, State College, PA
2017
Superstructure, Sculpture Center, Cleveland, OH
2016
Infinite Order, Union Gallery, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, Milwaukee WI
2015
Arboreal, Mixed Greens Gallery, New York, NY
Something and Nothing, Summerhall, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Penumbral, ROY G BIV Gallery, Columbus OH (juried by Ann Hamilton, Distinguished Professor, Ohio State University, Michael Mercil, Chair of Graduate Studies, Ohio State University, James Voorhies, Director, Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Harvard University, and Lisa Dent, Director of Resources & Award Programs, Creative Capitol)
2014
Past Presence, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA
2013
Dreams of an Ideal, Smith Center for the Arts, Providence College, Providence, RI
Lueur Dorée, Complexe Guy Favreau, Montreal, Canada
2012
Super Blue, The Soap Factory, Minneapolis, MN
Ecstasy of Knowing, Redux Contemporary Art Center, Charleston, SC
2011
Something and Nothing, 1708 Gallery, Richmond, VA
The Woods, 210 N Wells St, Chicago PopUp Art Loop, Chicago, IL
Axed, Shipping Container Installation at Built Fest, Wicker Park, Chicago, IL
Implied Objects, Capitol Square, Des Moines, IA
2010
Something and Nothing, Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI
Veep Green Continuity, 407 Gallery, University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, Green Bay, WI
Something and Nothing, Art Lofts Gallery, Madison, WI
2009
Luma, 1414 Warehouse, Madison, WI
Two-Person Exhibitions
2015
If then, 55 Limited Gallery, Berlin, Germany (with Taryn McMahon) (catalogue)
2012
Sweetness and Light, UnSmoke Artspace, Braddock, PA (in collaboration with Taryn McMahon)
2011
Anamnesis, Minnesota State University, Moorehead, MN (in collaboration with Naomi Schliesman)
Woods, Public Space One, Iowa City, IA (with Gail Simpson)
Anamnesis, Merwin Gallery, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington Normal, IL (in collaboration with Naomi Schliesman)
2010
Nobody Knows, Lamplit Exhibition Series, Iowa City, IA (in collaboration with Taryn
McMahon)
2007
Working, 734 Gallery, Madison, WI (with Joseph Leroux)
Selected Group Exhibitions
2016
Whereabouts, Glazenhuis Museum, Lommel, Belgium (curated by Alex Rosenberg, Assistant Professor, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA, Helen Lee, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI, and Matthew Szösz, artist, Oakland, CA) (catalogue)
2015
Natural States, Dowd Gallery, State University of New York at Cortland, Cortland, NY (curated by Nati Hyojin Kim and Santiago Garcia, Mixed Greens Gallery, New York, NY) (catalogue)
2015 Invitational, Exhibit A, Corning NY (invitational)
2014
Mark(ing) Time: Expanded Notions of Drawing, Dishman Art Museum, Beaumont, TX (curated by Megan Young, Museum Director, Beaumont, TX) (catalogue)
Love U More Than Fireworks, Parlor Gallery, Asbury Park, NJ (invitational)
2013
Gesturing into Consciousness, Zoller Gallery, The Pennsylvania State University,
University Park, PA (juried by Heather Darcy Bhandari, Director, Mixed Greens Gallery,
New York, NY, and Ann
Tarantino, Assistant Professor, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA)
Abstract Currents, video projection, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, NY
(PopRally event in conjunction with Inventing Abstraction 1910-1925 and Abstract
Generation)
Unconventional Narratives: The Triumph of the Witch, State University of New York at Potsdam Art Museum, Potsdam, NY (curated by Joseph Leroux, artist, Philladelphia, PA)
Bring Your Own Beamer, UnSmoke Artspace, Braddock, PA (invited by Jeb Feldman, Director)
2012
Gilding the Collapse, Collar Works Gallery, Troy, NY (curated by Jennifer Hudnold, artist, Troy, NY)
ITSA SMALL, SMALL WORLD, Family Business, New York, NY (curated by Jayson Musson, artist, New York, NY)
Cheap Coffee and Beef Jerky, Detroit, MI (curated by Derek Coté, Assistant Professor, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI)
2011
Dubuque Biennial, Dubuque Museum of Art, Dubuque, IA (juried by Frank Paluch, artist, Dubuque, IA)
Lion VS Gorilla, Fulton Street Collective, Chicago, IL (invitational)
The Billboard Art Project, I-15 LED billboard, San Bernardino, CA (invited by David
Morrison, artist, Richmond, VA)
Chain Letter, Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Santa Monica, CA (organized by Doug Harvey, artist, Los Angeles, CA, and Christian Cummings, artist, San Francisco, CA)
2010
Glow, Annmarie Garden in Association with the Smithsonian Institution, Dowell, MD (juried)
International and Globalism, Overture Center for the Arts, Madison, WI (juried)
Forward, Co-Prosperity Sphere,Chicago, IL
Trans·parent, Flash Space, Lawrence, KS (curated by Darin White, artist, Lawrence, KS)
White Show, Hausmann Millworks, San Antonio, TX (curated by Darin White, artist,
Lawrence, KS)
2009
Dubuque Biennial, Dubuque Museum of Art, Dubuque, IA (juried by Michael Gerber, artist, Dubuque, IA)
Satisfaction Town, Conaway Center, Columbia College, Chicago, IL (curated by John Hitchcock, Professor, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI)
SOFA Chicago, American Association of Woodturners Special Exhibition, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL (invitational)
Big Deal, SOMArts, San Francisco, CA
2008
Up,Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids,MI (curated by Steven Sampson, Director)
Home Front, Marin Community Foundation, Novato, CA
Awards and Honors
2016
Nesnadny + Schwartz Visiting Curator Program, visit with Cornelia Lauf, MOCA
Cleveland, OH
2011
Iowa Arts Grant, Iowa Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, Des Moines, IA
2010
University Travel Grant, Art Department, University of Wisconsin – Madison
2009 – 10
Research Project Assistant to Professor Gail Simpson of Actual Size Artworks, Stoughton, WI
2009
Vilas Travel Grant, University of Wisconsin – Madison Graduate School
2009
Professional Development Travel Grant, University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Education
2005
College Award for Creative Achievement, The Pennsylvania State University
M. Josephine Paul Memorial Art Scholarship, The Pennsylvania State University
Kara D. Berggren Award, “Best in Show”, The Pennsylvania State University
Artist Residencies
2015
55 Limited, Berlin, Germany (funded) (May 22 – June 28)
2012
Sculpture Space, Utica, NY (fully funded and stipend) (February 1 – March 31)
Commissions
2016
Corporate Art Commission, large scale neon installation, SLS Las Vegas, W Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
2015
Private Art Commission, Chestnut oak and white neon sculpture, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2010
Public Art Commission, neon, University of Wisconsin School of Education, Madison, WI