Mikey Yates
Mikey Yates (b. 1992, Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany; lives and works in Kansas City, MO) holds a BFA from Missouri State University and an MFA from the University of Colorado Boulder. In 2023, he attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Yates’ recent solo exhibitions include COMA Gallery, Sydney, AUS; Nazarian Curcio, Los Angeles, CA; and Taymour Grahne, London, UK.
His work has been featured in group exhibitions at the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH; WOAW Gallery, Hong Kong; Nazarian Curcio, Los Angeles, CA; The Hole, New York, NY; Taymour Grahne, London, UK; COMA Gallery, Sydney, AUS; the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden, Marrakech, Morocco; Steven Zevitas Gallery, Boston, MA; and 1969 Gallery, New York, NY. His work has been featured twice in New American Paintings, and also in Forbes, BOOOOOOOM!, Juxtapoz, YNGSPC, The USA Inquirer, and It’s Nice That. He has received two grants from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation and has attended several artist residencies, including the Charlotte Street Foundation Studio Residency and the Adventure Painting Residency. Yates is represented by COMA Gallery (Sydney, AUS) in the Asia-Pacific region and is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.
In his artist statement, Yates shares, “I grew up drawing the characters that colored my life: Gary Payton from the Sonics, Scorpion from Mortal Kombat, and Ryu from Street Fighter. I continue this practice today, but instead of strictly rendering fictional characters and sports superstars, I paint family members and friends, vivid memories of my past, and day-to-day experiences - often combining them all as I process my life. Working from memory, family photos, quick snapshots, and direct observation, my paintings deal with the construction of identity, the imprint of place, and hybridity.”
On joining the Studios Inc. residency program, Mikey states: “I’m looking forward to creating new work in the generous studios at Studios Inc. and grateful for the chance to keep growing as an artist here in Kansas City.”
