Self-taught Jamaican American artist Keegan Carter started painting in private to clear his mind and counteract stressful workdays. His extensive background in technology, including Google and Pinterest, entertainment, and business does not typically lend itself to fine art.
After years of building a personal relationship with paint on canvas, he decided to bring his passion to life in the public realm. In untraditional fashion, and without the assistance of a gallery, Keegan started producing pop-up art shows to share his journey with the world. His last show, “Keegan.Black,” paid homage to the beauty of the color black as a pigment while shining a light on the negative dictionary associations with the word. The artist was taking a stance against those associations that negatively impact the lives of those who bear black skin.
Carter’s style features layering and texturing techniques, centered on lifting his artwork from the surface and bringing it closer to the viewer. His work preferences the subconscious-driven method of painting spontaneously over conscious methods.
Keegan Carter’s upcoming show, “Keegan.Texture,” is a multi-location (Atlanta, Brooklyn, and online simultaneously) exhibition opening July 10th and featuring ceramicist Jenna Zeidan. The interactive experience aims to add the notion of touch to the art exhibition, which often only focuses on the notion of sight and sound. The collection further pays homage to his time spent living in Mexico City and his fondness for sun-kissed earth tones, deep blacks, and tasteful textures inspired by the desert.
This exhibition could not have come at a better time, providing attendees the opportunity to feel again as COVID-19 has driven many of us away from exercising one of the senses that we as humans yearn for the most.
The Atlanta show (Studio House Atlanta, 75 John Wesley Dobbs Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30303) will house all of the physical artworks from Carter and Zeidan. Both artists will be present at this location, and collectible merchandise will be available for purchase on Carter’s website.
The Brooklyn show (Phe Studios, 176 Borinquen Place, Storefront $ 4, Brooklyn, NY 11211) will offer representations of their artwork in non-physical form, a live stream of the Atlanta show, and a touch and augmented reality experience allowing attendees to experience all the aspects of the collection.
What do you think?