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Ess McKee

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Ess McKee
Born
Sylvia Rivers

Arizona
Known for
Notable workBlack Lives Matter street mural (Indianapolis)

Ess McKee is an American multimedia artist whose work has been featured in We.The Culture, an exhibit at Newfields Indianapolis Museum of Art. As an artist at the Harrison Center and a member of the Eighteen Art Collective in Indianapolis, McKee's work has focused on activism and education.[1][2]

Early life and education

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Ess McKee (Sylvia Rivers)[3] was born in Arizona. When she was in high school she decided to pursue a career in the arts. In an interview, McKee notes that her parents were in the military and for four years she lived in Germany. In Germany, McKee developed an interest in skateboarding and skate culture.[4] While in high school in Arizona, McKee was a track and field athlete specializing in the triple jump. After high school, McKee entered college in Texas, but then moved to Indiana to study Graphic Design at Ball State University.[1][5] McKee majored in Industry and Technology with a minor in Printmaking.[5]

Career

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As a multimedia artist, McKee's work includes elements of graffiti, graphic art, typography, textiles, 3D design, and digital art.[1] In addition to her work as an artist, McKee teaches art at the K-8 level and is a visiting instructor at the Herron School of Art and Design.[6]

In 2018, McKee's work was exhibited at Nxght Vision Studios in Indianapolis, Indiana.[4]

In 2020, McKee was appointed as the inaugural fellow at the 10 East Arts Hub, a program of the John H. Boner Neighborhood Centers.[3] That same year, McKee worked with the Big Car Collaborative to produce a mural on a pump house near the Indiana Central Canal and Meridian Street.[7] She also produced a mural, The Future is Now, as a participant in the Murals for Racial Justice project organized by GANGGANG and funded by the Indy Arts Council.[8]

On August 1, 2020, McKee participated in creating the Black Lives Matter street mural in Indianapolis, Indiana. McKee created the letter 'S.'[9] Following the creation of the work, the artists of the mural established and joined the Eighteen Collective.[2]

McKee's work, The Beautiful, was shown at We. The Culture, an exhibit at Newfields in Indianapolis.[10] The Beautiful was created in 2020 and is based on the flag of the United States. It is a companion to a piece that McKee created following the shooting of Philando Castile, Black America in Distress.[1][5]

In 2021, the Indianapolis Art Center hosted EIGHTEEN: Black Lives Matter, an exhibit that included works by McKee.[11][12]

Portion of a mural by Ess McKee on the pump house in Alice Carter Place park in Indianapolis, Indiana.

In 2022, McKee's work was included in BUTTER, a fine arts fair for Black artists created by GANGGANG.[13]

Selected exhibitions

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  • Distress Signal. Harrison Center for the Arts. Indianapolis, Indiana. November 2020.[14]
  • Stories from Our Community: The Art of Protest. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana[15]
  • BUTTER 2. Indianapolis, Indiana, Sept. 1-4, 2022.[16]
  • TINY XI: A Really Big Show. Gallery 924. Indianapolis, Indiana. Dec. 2, 2022 - Jan,12, 2023.[17]
  • We. The Culture: Works by the Eighteen Art Collective. Newfields, Indianapolis, Indiana. Sept. 23, 2022 - Sept. 24, 2023.[10]

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ess McKee.
  1. ^ a b c d McGowan, Chloe (2023-03-02). "Indy-based artist Ess McKee is making her mark on the city". Indianapolis Recorder. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  2. ^ a b Mallet, George (2022-02-07). "Indianapolis Public Library Meet the Artists exhibit showcases work of Indy Black Lives Matter mural artists". WISH-TV | Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic. Retrieved 2023-03-19.
  3. ^ a b Orr, Susan (September 11, 2020). "Community creations". Indianapolis Business Journal. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  4. ^ a b G, Eric (2018-05-02). "Feature: #mood. An interview with Ess Mckee". FAF Collective. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  5. ^ a b c "ess mckee: Local Legend". discovernewfields.org. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  6. ^ "Ess McKee". IndyArtsGuide.org. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  7. ^ "DigIndy Art Project". Big Car. 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  8. ^ "Black Lives Matter Murals". indyencyclopedia.org. 2022-12-15. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  9. ^ "'Black Lives Matter' mural in Downtown Indianapolis defaced". WRTV Indianapolis. 2020-08-09. Retrieved 2023-03-19.
  10. ^ a b "We. The Culture: Works by The Eighteen Art Collective". discovernewfields.org. Retrieved 2023-03-19.
  11. ^ "EIGHTEEN to feature work of Indy's Black Lives Matter muralists - Indy Chamber". indychamber.com. 2020-10-14. Retrieved 2023-03-19.
  12. ^ Bongiovanni, Domenica. "18 artists painted a Black Lives Matter mural on Indiana Ave. Here's what's next for them". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2023-03-19.
  13. ^ Olson, Dan (2022-08-22). "Butter A Fine Art Fair For Black Artists Opens Labor Day Weekend". Visit Indy. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  14. ^ "Distress Signal". Harrison Center. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  15. ^ "Stories from our Community: The Art of Protest". The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. March 19, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  16. ^ Artist Catalogue. BUTTER, Second Annual. Indianapolis, Indiana. Sept. 1-4, 2022.
  17. ^ "December 2022-January 2023 | TINY XI | Indy Arts Council". indyarts.org. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
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