Kyle Selley’s ‘firework art’ to debut at Englewood Gallery

Kyle Selley works with fireworks and residue drawings. // courtesy of Kyle Selley

With the Fourth of July right around the corner, Kansas Citians looking for an alternative to big firework displays can still get a taste while also taking in artwork from local artist, Kyle Selley.

Selley uses chemical explosions, residue, and fireworks as a method to interact with his audience through his work. His exhibition will open Thursday, July 1 at The Engelwood Row Gallery in Independence.

“I’m studying why we are drawn to spectacles of light, specifically fireworks and cosmic phenomenon,” Selley says. “I hope to provide the viewer with a similar feeling of the sublime as I experience while creating the work.”

Drawing inspiration from his early childhood experimenting with fireworks, his work has become more developed through training at KCAI and Johnson County Community College’s fine arts program. As a result his work has grown to incorporate mediums such as videography, digital imagery, performance, and ceramics.

You can check out Selley’s work through Aug. 1, at The Engelwood Gallery and he will be exhibiting his work throughout the end of the year at various galleries around Kansas City. Learn more here.

Below you can see part of his process and how his work is created: