Our loving son Brian died unexpectedly on April 19, 2018, while living and working in Istanbul Turkey. We are grateful for any and all contributions which help supporting our son's legacy. Thank You Kathi and Chuck McKee https://www.gofundme.com/brian-mckee-fund Excelsior Springs was Brian's home until his last year in high school. Interlochen Fine Arts Academy in Michigan gave Brian the early preparation for his artistic life. Brian attended and graduated from Bard in 1999 with a degree in Literature and Photography. Brian became an architectural photographer. He shot haunting exteriors and interiors of war torn cities in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Lebanon. His work also took him to India, Russia, and Turkey. Brian's photos were highly reviewed in the New Yorker magazine and he was featured in galleries around the world. Recently he was working for Cornucopia magazine in Turkey. Brian said architecture and cities are what we all leave behind.

Born 1977 in Kansas City, Missouri, attended the Interlochen Arts Academy and Bard College studying photography with Stephen Shore, Larry Fink and Barbara Ess. Worked as assistant and studio manger to Lynn Davis 1996-2001. Brian McKee died unexpectedly on April 19, 2018 while living and working in Istanbul Turkey.

For the past four years I have traveled throughout America and Eastern Europe photographing sites that represent important political and social events in contemporary world history. My most recent project in Afghanistan is a continuation of this larger conceptual body of work. Acting as a kind of visual historian I seek to create images that convey a unique and important view of select aspects of World History. Within architecture and landscapes I find my true subject, the detritus of civilization, and seek to explore the way we define and relate to its existence. Although creating precisely composed and executed images I carefully chose projects that have a conceptual meaning and importance beyond their visual interest or beauty. These images from Afghanistan encompass and express the intents of my vision as an artist.

2003 – DETRITUS, Galerie Hilger Wien
2003 – DETRITUS, Galerie Poller, Frankfurt am Main
2002 - Fotografie aus New York: Gallery KunstRaum, Essen, Germany
2001 - The Soviet Military Bases: KunstMarkt , Krefeld, Germany
1999- SITES: Olin Gallery, Annandale, New York

2003 – ART 34 Basel, Galerie Hilger
2003 - Arco: with Gallery Christa Schübbe, Madrid, Spain
2002 - Mudai: Gallery Christa Schubbe, Dusseldorf, Germany
2002 - October Report: The Genia Schreiber University Art Gallery, Tel Aviv University
2002 - The Blue Square: Gallery Viehofer Strasse 26, Essen, Germany
2002 - International Young Art: Sotheby’s Tel Aviv
2002- International Young Art: Sotheby’s Amsterdam
2002- International Young Art: Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, New York, New York
2000- Annual New Images Exhibition: New Images Gallery, James Madison University, Virginia

Fall 2003 - 25 Under 25: Tisch Gallery, New York, New York

1999 - The Eugene Atget Prize for Photography presented by Bard College
2001- International Emerging Young Artist: Sponsored by ArtLink and Sotheby’s and followed by a series of group shows with Sotheby’s Auction House
2001- 25 Under 25: Sponsored by Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies and followed by the publication of 25 Under 25

March 2003: Featured Artist Portfolio: Bardian Magazine
Fall 2003: Artist Portfolio: Eikon
September 2003: 25 Under 25: sponsored by Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies and published by Powerhouse Books