Superman's hometown, as reimagined by Mike Kelley

The late LA artist Mike Kelley was long preoccupied with Superman comics, specifically the mythical city Kandor, capital of the planet Krypton. Now, if you go to Hauser & Wirth Gallery in downtown LA’s Arts District you can find “Mike Kelley Kandors 1999 – 2011.” The show is made up of architectural renderings, drawings, sculptures, installation videos and set pieces, all tied to Kandor.

Against the wall you’ll find a series of Superman comic book panels, each depicting the city of Kandor, made by various illustrators over the years. You can see architectural models by local SCI-Arc students of the fantasy cities, and a video of an actor who looks like Superman caressing a bell jar while reciting poems by Sylvia Plath, author of “The Bell Jar.”

experimental music performances inspired my Kelley’s own musical forays, including with the Detroit proto-punk band he founded, Destroy All Monsters.

Installation view, ‘Mike Kelley: Kandors 1999 – 2011,’ Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles, 2017. Art © Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts. All Rights Reserved / Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY. Pinault Collection. Courtesy the Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts and Hauser & Wirth. Photo: Fredrik Nilsen