Ian McKeever, born 1946 in Withernsea, Yorkshire, England, exhibited his art for the first time in Berlin in 1971. Since, he has painted, taught and written about art. Today his works can be found in the collections of the Tate Gallery, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museums and Louisiana. Works by McKeever have previously been shown in Stockholm at the exhibitions Dialogue at Moderna museet in 1985 and British art in the eighties at Liljevalchs in 1987.
Ian McKeever’s art is full of light and movement. The abstract paintings are underpinned by a philosophy that McKeever develops in his many writings. The light that he seeks to create in his paintings are countered by the darkness that the artist sees around him. The materialism and greed of our times are the opposite of true enlightenment. When everyday life is fast-forwarded, painting can offer focus and calm – a pause for deepened understanding and, possibly, enlightenment.
The process of making the paintings is as important as the result. Oil, acrylic, gouache or watercolour paint is added layer upon layer. Openness and transparency is complete; the underlying layer of paint always shines through, giving the artist no possibility of changing what has once been done. Honesty is crucial in McKeever’s search for authenticity.