HackelBury presents a new addition to our In Conversation series featuring British photographer Oli Kellett and Emily Stone, curator at the National Gallery. They discuss Kellett’s latest solo exhibition, Fountains and his exploration of urban space, symbolism, and stillness in the modern world.
The resulting photographs reflect Kellett’s deep engagement with art history, and his interest in creating visual parallels with the techniques of Seurat, Monet, Whistler, and others.
With a focus on contemporary curatorial practice and cross-disciplinary collaboration, Stone brings a unique perspective on how historical collections engage with contemporary visual culture.
About Oli Kellett:
Oli Kellett is a British artist based in Hastings, UK. He graduated from Central St. Martins in 2005 and spent the following few years working as an Art Director at a number of London’s leading advertising agencies. Since 2008, he has dedicated himself to exploring the urban setting.
In Fountains, Kellett shifts his focus from wide cityscapes to the delicate, often unseen beauty of tiny water droplets propelled into the air by the fountains of Trafalgar Square in London. Having travelled the world for Cross Road Blues, the artist now finds inspiration much closer to home—just steps away from his beloved National Gallery.
About Emily Stone:
Emily Stone is Project Curator in the Modern & Contemporary team at the National Gallery. Her interests lie in creating fascinating, complex and creative programmes and events that are ambitious, inclusive and stimulate curiosity.
She is currently working on The Triumph of Art, a major new national commission by artist Jeremy Deller that will culminate in a large-scale event on Trafalgar Square in July 2025. Previously she has worked at the National Portrait Gallery, UCL and Tate developing programme, leading partnerships and commissioning new work with artists including Sharon Walters.
