Mike Kelley: Sublevel

Published in 2000 by Walther König, Mike Kelley: Sublevel documents the artist's expansive video and installation project titled Sublevel. This work emerged from Kelley's broader investigation into the architecture of memory and the subconscious, specifically drawing inspiration from the basement of his former high school. The project is deeply rooted in Kelley's signature exploration of institutional critique, personal history, and the uncanny nature of repressed domestic and educational environments.

The publication functions both as a catalog and an extension of the exhibition's complex, non-linear narrative. Kelley collaborated with curators and editors to assemble a collection of stills, transcripts, and thematic essays that mirror the layered, labyrinthine quality of the original installation. Upon its release, the volume was well-received within the contemporary art community for its ability to preserve the atmosphere of Kelley’s ephemeral multimedia installations while providing critical insight into his rigorous theoretical framework.