Artist John Kelly will speak at Pratt Institute about his influences, artwork, and career as part of the 2010-2011 Visiting Artists Lecture Series (VALS), from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m., Tuesday, November 2, in the Engineering Building, Room 371, on Pratt’s Brooklyn Campus. The lecture is free and open to the public.

The Pratt Visiting Artists Lecture Series is an annual year-long series organized by the Department of Fine Arts in the School of Art and Design at Pratt Institute to welcome nationally and internationally recognized fine artists to share their experiences with the Pratt community.

New York-based Kelly will speak about the methods and influences behind his performance work and various other art practices.

Kelly’s performances have been seen at Tate Modern, London; P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center, New York; The Drawing Center, New York; and at the Whitney Biennial. He has been awarded two Bessie (New York Dance and Performance) Awards, two Obie Awards, two NEA American Masterpieces Awards, and the American Choreographer Award. Kelly has also been awarded fellowships from John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, The Greenwall Foundation, New York Foundation for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and The Rockefeller Foundation.

Kelly studied at the American Ballet Theatre School, Parsons The New School for Design, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Kelly is also currently an Armory Artist in Residence at New York’s Park Avenue Armory.

Kelly is the fifth artist of 12 invited to speak as part of the 2010-2011 Visiting Artists Lecture Series. The fall program continues with Erin Shirreff on November 16. VALS is coordinated by graduate students Biljana Djokanovic and Ryan Gilmartin under the supervision of Visiting Assistant Professor Dominique Nahas in the Department of Fine Arts.

Visitors can enter Pratt Institute’s campus on DeKalb Avenue or on Willoughby Avenue between Hall Street and Classon Avenue.  The closest subway stop is the Clinton-Washington station on the G line.  For directions to campus or parking information, visit www.pratt.edu/directions.