Alison Keenan

Alison Keenan (Canada) 13 Feet off the Ground 11/ 2017

Alison chose the wall of a public washroom facing the forested hills above the town. Alison has a passion for avian subject matter and had researched Sicilian birds before arriving. Her airy feeling mural design features two endangered partridges sitting on the branches of an orange tree. A few workers surround the tree winding the red ribbon around the trunk while a catch of local fish and a large flask of olive oil flank either side. 

Alison is an independent visual artist and curator based in Vancouver. She graduated from ECUAD and exhibits her paintings and drawings in Canada and internationally. Her work encompasses collaborative exhibitions, curating group shows, giving gallery talks, editing gallery catalogues, and participating in artist residencies. With a keen interest in the subconscious behaviour of anonymous individuals in public spaces, Alison’s art practice is shaped by her observations of the diverse cultural life around her. Through drawing, painting, and using the camera as a research notebook, she captures the elusive and ambiguous aesthetics of her subjects. Her work explores the concept of public space in the age of social networking, where self-absorbed behaviour and disconnectedness from the immediate surroundings are prevalent. In her series “First Impressions,” Alison portrays the uncertain navigation and multitasking efforts of individuals in crowds, highlighting missed opportunities for genuine human connection and meaningful encounters.