Jake Kelly is an artist based in Rotterdam whose practice engages deeply with sustainability, material reuse, and public interaction. His work often explores the relationship between humanity and its environment, using found, recycled, and organic materials like hemp, wood, and discarded urban debris. By rejecting commercially produced art supplies, Kelly creates pieces that reflect an intentional, slow process of gathering, crafting, and inquiry. Each piece transforms materials of little perceived value, whether trash, fallen branches, or household waste, into intricate installations or smaller more intimate works, that challenge our perceptions of value and sustainability.
Rooted initially in a fascination with the act of making a line, Kelly draws from the fundamental role that lines have played throughout human history, from ancient cave paintings to modern technology. His sculptures are not merely about form but also serve as a meditative process and a critique of the systems we live within. Using democratised materials like string, rope, and found objects, Kelly weaves intricate networks that blur the boundaries between drawing, sculpture, and performance. His early background in painting led to an exploration of sculptural deconstruction, with his current practice now firmly focused on the performative act of making work in a capitalistic framework.
In recent years, Kelly’s work has delved into the anthropological act of rope-making, a practice humans have engaged in for over 40,000 years. Making rope laboriously by hand from waste materials, Kelly connects his work to ancient traditions while critically examining modern ideologies of sustainability. His projects frequently involve community engagement, where audiences are invited to participate in the process, whether through workshops, participatory installations, or intimate "walk and talk" material-gathering sessions. These encounters foster deeper dialogues around art, pseudo-sustainability, responsibilization and the implications of human action on the planet.
Kelly's approach challenges the commodification of sustainability, confronting greenwashing and the exploitation of environmental ideals for profit. His work seeks to inspire reflection on how we live and create in a world increasingly disconnected from nature. By using materials with history and significance, Kelly’s installations evoke a raw, honest response to contemporary issues, balancing aesthetics with activism.