Alessandro Keegan's artwork, which he considers abstract, straddles the line between science, nature, technology, and mysticism. He explores a 'mystical science' of metaphysical and fantastical spaces using mysterious forms such...
Alessandro Keegan's artwork, which he considers abstract, straddles the line between science, nature, technology, and mysticism. He explores a 'mystical science' of metaphysical and fantastical spaces using mysterious forms such as dew drops, crystals, eyes, shells, and many others that hold person resonance for him. In his newest paintings for ‘After the Rain’, Keegan explores impossible worlds and temporalities that emerge from his subconscious and develop into highly realized mechanisms.
Looking at Keegan's work, one finds similarity to the Expressionists and Surrealists of the early 20th century. Keegan's interests also lie in mysticism and spirituality, beliefs that are seeing a resurgence in contemporary art, informed by recent attention to Hilma af Klint and members of the Transcendentalist Painting Group like Agnes Pelton. Like these artists, Keegan seeks to achieve expanded consciousness by exploring the depths of the macrocosm.
His compositions come to him in complete form, which he quickly captures by sketching, completing many drawings until the form “feels right”. Then he turns to colors, instinctively feeling out combinations and palettes, often combining natural hues with the synthetic. These color combinations have an almost synesthetic effect for Keegan, who says that certain pairings have tastes: magenta and yellow, for instance, taste like marzipan. Once his initial colors are chosen, he carefully maps out his shapes freehand with measuring tools and then begins to paint with oils, a medium he considers outside of history. His process is meticulous and laborious, hours spent on each shape until it is finished from every angle.
Alessandro Keegan (b. 1980) lives and works in Upstate New York. The artist holds a Master’s degree in Fine Art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in painting and drawing, as well as a Master's in Art History from Brooklyn College. His paintings have been exhibited internationally including in New York, Chicago, London, Dublin, Barcelona, Hong Kong, and the Hague. Keegan's art is held in the permanent collection of the College of Psychic Studies in London, UK. Writings about his work have appeared in Artsy, ArtMaze Magazine, Artforum, Elephant Magazine, Masthead Magazine and Ephemera NYC, as well as journals including Helvete (Punctum Books, Brooklyn) and J’ai Froid (Castillo/ Corrales, Paris). In 2022 he exhibited at Galerie du Monde, Hong Kong with guest curator Zoie Yung and in 2023 participated in the Macao Art Biennale.