Keylay Tukor’s June Exhibit Puts to Rest a Long Project
Visual artist Kyle Tucker took a flight from Las Vegas last June with 777 Drawings safely packed inside a small piece of luggage. It is both the title of his show and the actual number of sketches remaining up to that point, from a prolific period of work collected over the last few years. And those are only a fraction of the series from which hundreds more have been given away or sold at whatever price buyers felt comfortable giving. The work has shown in galleries and the streets of various cities across the nation.
It required a team effort to hang each piece. While I did little of the installation, I took down nearly every single piece on my own. I wanted to meditate in that process. I looked upon each one intently, and the continuous focus could have been exhausting had I done it all at once. At times the mind wandered and I was simply dropping sheets of paper in a basket like it was a chore, forgetting that Kyle had put minutes or hours into each one, but I was still just giving 2-5 seconds to each one.
I could see that within the series he had smaller series, identified with repeating figures, landscapes, themes, or messages. Some appeared meticulous while others appeared whimsical.
In the midst of hanging each drawing, one by one, he asked what we really thought of not just the work, but the name Keylay Tukor. It started years ago as an affectionate nickname given by friends, but without giving it any long-term thought, he began leaving a paper trail of drawings with the signature for people to discover him online. It worked. We found him. But now he is considering going by his birth name.
One reason for the change of heart is that he now focuses on painting. This huge supply of drawings demonstrates an evolving style and set of abilities. Some pieces are dolloped with paint, hinting at the kind of work to come. The purpose of this post is not to preview any of that, it is simply to show this collection, which will always be signed Keylay Tukor, regardless of any future name change.
Outside hallway placement: art by honor systems
Close up of hallway
Kyle Tucker aka Keylay Tukor standing with 777 Drawings
North wall
Southeast corner
South window
Coming down stairwell
Stairwell ledge
Looking up the stairs
Above the studio door
Work desk display
Above work desk
Handy shelf display
Corner display
Symbols of inspiration
