Keen, Richard
Form Singularity No. 273
September 2022 Exhibition Catalogue
2022
Acrylic and oil on canvas
My “Form Singularity” paintings take a more minimalist, or reductive, approach to seascapes. The primary shapes in these paintings are based on keels, rudders and other structural components of boats; often accompanied by references to horizon lines and water.
72 x 64 inches
Keywords:
Oil, Acrylic, Minimalist, Structural, Reductive, Contemporary Painting
Keen, Richard
Brunswick, ME
Artist Statement
As far back as I can remember I have made sense of the world through art. My abstractions begin from observation. Nature, man-made objects and the spaces between them that often generate geometric shapes and patterns inspire me. I filter which elements of my observations and experiences to focus on by removing unnecessary detail. Some of my finished work reveals direct connections to my experiences, while others are more reductive, leaving room for interpretation. I keep my work moving forward, exploring different mediums regularly, from classic oils to spray paint, epoxy and Styrofoam in an unending effort to not lock my practice into one mode of operation. I have three core series. My most abstract body of work, called “Form Singularity” uses painting and sculpture to reference seascapes and boat components like rudders, keels and boat building designs in a more minimal and reductive approach to making art. “Sea Geometry” paintings began after working as a diver in Casco Bay. They reference seascapes and use boat building designs to segment the compositions. “Abstracted Topographies” more clearly reference trees, landscapes and coastal vistas around Maine. They are reflections on hikes I take with my family and dogs. I work regularly to unite abstraction and realism through art-making in an effort to frame a common language in everything that I create.
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