Continuing my interest in pop culture and critical theory, I made a series of large-scale watercolors about the history of MTV in the 1980s and its outsized influence on my generation, Gen X. Taking inspiration from cultural critics such as bell hooks and Marshall Macluhan, I chose to paint some specific moments from 1981-89 that have taken on new dimension with age. It is by no means a complete history.

Visitors were invited to record their thoughts about MTV for publication in the exhibition catalog (available upon request). A huge thank you to the San Francisco Arts Commission for their support of this work through the San Francisco Artists Grant. MTV Generation was on view May 4th - June 4th, 2022 at Marrow Gallery in San Francisco, CA.

Press:

KQED Arts, “Kelly Inouye’s Giant Watercolors Recall the Power of 80s MTV”, by Rae Alexandra

48 Hills, “Neon Pop, Watercolor Superstars: Kelly Inouye’s ‘MTV Generation’ Paints a Cultural Moment”, by Emily Wilson