Ken Kelleher, CV
Ken Kelleher, also known as "Anchorball," has sculpted a distinctive niche in the realm of contemporary sculpture by blending classical sculpture principles with vibrant pop art influences. His works are a dialogue between the historical gravitas of traditional forms and the vivid immediacy of modern cultural icons, making each piece a dynamic interaction between the viewer and the environment.
Influenced by formal sculptors like David Smith and Tony Caro, Kelleher’s sculptures draw on Smith’s expertise in creating large-scale steel abstract sculptures that emphasize structural dynamics and the intrinsic narrative quality of materials. Tony Caro’s abstract, assemblage-based approach using industrial metals without traditional pedestals has also deeply influenced Kelleher’s exploration of form and space, encouraging a break from conventional sculpture displays.
Parallel to these classical influences, Kelleher’s alias "Anchorball" is deeply entrenched in the ethos of pop art. He draws inspiration from artists such as Ron English, known for his surreal and often subversive visual puns that blend high and low cultural phenomena. Robert Crumb's sharp satirical critiques of contemporary society echo in Kelleher’s work, which sometimes weaves subtle social commentaries into its narratives. Additionally, Takashi Murakami’s fusion of classical Japanese art with contemporary anime elements inspires Kelleher to blend Eastern and Western artistic traditions, enriching the cultural dialogue initiated by his pieces.
In Collections
Massive Reach, Private collection, Buffalo NY
Mysterious Connection, Private Collection, Alfred NY
Papillon, Three meter bronze public sculpture, in the permanent collection of Al Khaliji Bank, Doha, Qatar: 2019
Madrigal, Seven meter public sculpture, Kushan, China Sculpture Park: 2020
Becoming, Private collection, Surabaya, Indonesia (in production): 2020 - 2021
Scribble, Four meter stainless steal sculpture, Doha, Qatar: 2021
Inner Child, Set of four three meter stainless steel sculptures, Krasnodar Park, Russia: 2021
Boundless Sea of Stars, Six meter mirror finish stainless, Hangzhou, China: 2021-2022
Velocity Variation, Ten meter mirror finish stainless, Mongolia, China: 2021
Back in the Saddle, Six meter mirror finish stainless, Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas: 2022
OOLALA, Three meter stainless with blue mirror finish: 2021-2023
Hand Drawn Sculpture, Five meter blue stainless, San Diego: 2023
Spiral Vortex, 7.5 meter mirror finish stainless, Regis Maya Resorts, Cancun, Mexico: 2023
Year of the Dragon, Inflatable, Bangkok, Thailand: 2024
Flower Dream, Hyundai Mall: 2024
AIRSIDE x ANCHORBALL, a large-scale, multi-platform public art activation, March to May 2024
Collection for Boulevard City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: 2024
Ellie, Six meter public sculpture
Magmus, Six meter public sculpture
Elio, Six meter public sculpture
Fine Feathered Friends, Six meter public sculpture
Iridessa, Six meter public sculpture
Garden Sasquatch, Six meter public sculpture
Art Basel, Context Art Fair, Carousel Gallery: 2024
Willy & Winky, Willy & Winky, Wynwood, Miami, George Perez Collection: 2025
Cosmos Deluxe, Five meter flower sculpture, Miami, Private Collector: 2025
Tommy Toucan, Eight meter stainless pop art sculpture of the Anchorball character Tommy Toucan, Shanghai : 2025
Cry Baby Cry, 20ft painted stainless pop art sculpture of the Anchorball character Crybaby for Route 66, Tulsa OK : 2025
SHOWS
1991. Seven Sculptures, Wood & Steel Explorations, Alfred, NY
2001. Outside In, Group Sculpture Show, Kent Moses Museum, Exeter, NH
2019. Off the Charts, Group Show for Art Basel, Manolis Projects, Miami, FL (reviews by Anthony Haden-Guest)
2020. Art Palm Beach, Miami, FL
2023. W1 Curates Exhibition, London
2023. OOLALA – C Future Lab Shenzhen, China
2023. Rarity Gallery Group Show with Julian Opie and Philip Colbert, Mykonos Greece
2024. Year of the Dragon, Bangkok, Thailand
2024. Airside x Anchorball, Hong Kong, China
2024. Art Basel, Context Art Fair, Carousel Gallery
2025. Maestros de Maestros, Fundación Corazón Verde, Bogata Columbia
PRESS
MyModernMet - The US based art & culture magazine that celebrates creativity and promotes a positive culture. Fubiz - A Paris based art & culture magazine.
Ideel Art - A London based site focusing on contemporary art
Gessato - A NYC based magazine that celebrates exceptional art, architecture, and style.
Designboom - The first and most popular digital magazine for architecture & design culture. daily news for a professional and creative audience.
Ignant - A Berlin based interdisciplinary online magazine featuring the finest in art, design photography fashion and architecture.
Collater.al - An Italian online magazine, focused on the contemporary creative culture: illustration, design, music, trends and street cultures. Feel Desain - An art & culture magazine based in Turin, Italy.
AD Magazine - Magazine on architecture, culture and art. (Russian site)
WhiteHot Magazine - Off the Charts, Group show review, Anthony Haden-Guest
STATEMENT
Whether it’s a personal place, corporate, communal, institutional, I see art as a means of engagement to provoke thought, dialogue, introspection and conversation. It becomes part of the fabric of our life. Some articles on my work have made it sound like the renderings I’m doing are the art, but in actuality, the designs I’m doing are meant to be built. I’ve partnered with some of the worlds best fabrication teams to fabricate and install them. they can be installed anywhere in the world. The renderings are created in models with consideration for how they would be fabricated, engineered, installed and the ultimate goal of these renderings is creating permanent pieces. All of these are available for purchase, exhibition & commission. I can be hired for custom collaboration
