Ian Kelly

Ian Kelly is an Assistant Professor of Visual Arts and an acclaimed filmmaker, editor, and animator specializing in animated documentaries that explore personal and historical memory through animation's formal qualities.

His research investigates how animation's inherent characteristics—fragmentation, transformation, and sensory emphasis—can uniquely represent memory processes. His creative works have been featured in major international film festivals including Chicago International Film Festival, Hot Springs Documentary Festival, and Big Sky Documentary Film Festival.

Professional recognition includes:

• Academy Award for Best Live Action Short (2020) as Assistant Editor for 'The Neighbors’ Window'

His practice extends to institutional collaborations with Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and National Museum of African American History and Culture.