Intro
Kirk Fanelly currently lives and works in his hometown of Charlotte, NC. He received a BA in Visual Art from Brown University and split his undergraduate time between Brown and neighboring RISD—completing courses in their painting & illustration departments. In addition to his undergraduate work, Fanelly attended a formative fellowship at Yale.
Fanelly’s work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions across the Eastern United States including: Davidson College Smith Gallery, Appalachian State Turchin Center, Winthrop University Rutledge Gallery, Artspace (Richmond, VA), and The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (Winston-Salem, NC). His 2026 exhibition is a solo show at the Mint Museum (Charlotte, NC) featuring a selection of work from the past 25 years. Fanelly’s work can be found in public and private collections internationally.
Grants awarded include: North Carolina Arts Council Fellowship Grant; Marie Walsh Sharpe Foundation Fellowship; and Yale Norfolk Fellowship.
Statement
My work has shifted over the last several years. In earlier narrative paintings, I was interested in articulating the awkwardness and vulnerability of people in relation to our psychogeography—more specifically: architectural environments, suburban mores & myths, sexual dynamics, and a variety of disquieting implied narratives happening in private.
My more recent work concerns itself with finding meaning in materials and chance encounters with the broader natural world rather than encounters with human absurdity (which appear in overabundance these days). This current approach is one that feels increasingly expansive and calming. The process of cut paper and new creative directions have me rediscovering connectivity to nature (including animalia) and finding joy through deep observation.
CV
EDUCATION
- 1999
- Brown University, BA in Visual Art, May 1999
Rhode Island School of Design
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
- 2022
- Hidell Brooks, Charlotte, NC, “Recent Works”
- 2020
- Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, Belmont, NC, “Botanicals”
- 2018
- Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, GA, “Botanicals”
- 2009
- Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC, “Paintings and Recent Works on Paper”
- 2008
- Lee Hansley Gallery, Raleigh, NC
- 2007
- Emory & Henry College, VA, “Bedfellows”
- 2005
- Davidson College, Davidson, NC, “Domestic Disturbances”
- 2003
- Rocky Mount Arts Center, Rocky Mount, NC, “Residence I and Other Recent Work”
- 2002
- Lee Hansley Gallery, Raleigh, NC, “Art from Architecture”
- 2001
- Carolina Union Gallery, Chapel Hill, NC, “Images from Home”
- 1999
- List Art Center, Brown University, Providence, RI “Diptychs” Thesis Exhibit
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
- 2024
- Blowing Rock Art Museum, NC. “Pulp & Bind”
- 2017
- Greenhill Center for North Carolina Art, Greensboro, NC. “Observational Abstraction”
- 2016
- Lee Hansley Gallery, NC. “My Favorite Things”
- 2012
- Turchin Center, Boone, NC. “2011 NCAC Artist Fellowship Recipients”
- 2009
- Jack the Pelican Presents, Brooklyn, NY. “American Dream”
- 2009
- Jack the Pelican Presents, Brooklyn, NY. “Old School”
- 2007
- Artspace, Richmond, VA. “Radius250”
- 2007
- SECCA, Winston Salem, NC. “Homegrown Southeast 2007”
- 2006
- Lee Hansley Gallery, Raleigh, NC. “New & Hot North Carolina”
- 2004
- McColl Center, Charlotte, NC. “Summer Affiliate Exhibition”
- 2004
- CityArts, Wichita, KS. “There’s Always Room for One More”
- 2004
- Whitecouch, Brooklyn, NY. “Unreal Tournament”
- 2003
- Lee Hansley Gallery, Raleigh, NC. “The Perfect Painting”
- 2002
- Whitecouch, Brooklyn, NY. “5 Degrees”
- 1998
- Yale University, Norfolk, CT. “Yale-Norfolk Exhibition”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- 2020
- "Intervista all’artista Kirk Fanelly" thegreensideofpink.com, Sep 28th. Interview, illus.
- 2017
- “Who To Meet in Charlotte Visual Arts” The Charlotte Observer, May 2.
- 2017
- “Carolina Art Crush: Kirk Fanelly” Happeningsclt.com, April 25th. Interview, illus.
- 2012
- Lowdown Magazine, Vol. 80. Interview, illus.
- 2007
- Scales, Shatesha. “It Might be Good to Eat the Babies” The Johnsonian, Sept. 12, illus.
- 2005
- Maschal, Richard. "Fanelly Paintings Speak with an Edgy, Sexy Voice", The Charlotte Observer, Sept. 16
- 2002
- Greenberg, Blue. "Architectural Forms Key to 4 Artists" Durham Herald-Sun, Aug. 18. illus.
- 2002
- Halperen, Max. "Peeking into Hidden Places" Raleigh News & Observer, Aug. 16. illus.
GRANTS & AWARDS
- 2010
- North Carolina Arts Council Fellowship Grant
- 1998
- Yale Summer School of Music & Art at Norfolk Fellowship
- 1997
- Brown University Research at Brown (RAB) Grant
- 1993
- Marie Walsh Sharpe Foundation Fellowship
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Dave Eggers; San Francisco, CA
April Gornik and Eric Fischl; North Haven, NY
Jane Rosenblum; New York,NY
Adam Sheffer; New York, NY
Helene Winer; New York, NY
Robert Gardner, LewAllen Contemporary; Santa Fe, NM
Rocky Mount Art Center; Rocky Mount, NC
Brown University; Providence, RI
Davidson College; Davidson, NC
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