Kyle Selley

Kyle Selley (b. 1992) is a Kansas City-based artist best known for his “firework residue paintings” which explore ideas surrounding nostalgia and the sublime. KC Studio Magazine has referred to his flatwork as “naturally celestial” and “suggestive of infinite space.” Selley builds composition in a playful and intuitive manner, reminiscent of abstract expressionism and artists such as Jackson Pollock and Wassily Kandinsky. Although initially inspired by the example of renowned Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang, Selley’s materials and processes are entirely different. His “firework art” utilizes mediums such as videography, digital imagery, performance, ceramics, works on paper, and works on canvas. Selley’s work set a new precedent in artistic techniques incorporating firework residue and he is currently sponsored by Dominator Fireworks in Beijing, China. Selley graduated from Johnson County Community College with an Associate of Arts degree, studied sculpture and ceramics at the University of Tasmania, and graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.