I am a professional artist, designer and performer with a lifetime’s experience in the arts and 13 years curatorial experience working with world renowned museums and galleries. I have created award-winning designs, pioneered and won awards for ground-breaking theatre and performance work and achieved worldwide recognition – not just for my own practice, but also for my father Jeff Keen’s art archive. I have proven success in developing and leading exhibitions, arts events, festivals, community engagement and educational programs.
In 2013, I returned to my first love of painting and drawing and have been developing this practice since, alongside some small film projects. My artwork has been exhibited in group shows in the UK and is in private collections.
I’m currently developing work on an immersive landscape digital installation called ‘Genius Loci’ based on my recovery from loss in the Suffolk countryside and our connection with the spirit of place.
I’m also curating a programme of exhibitions and events for my father’s centenary 2023/2024.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
2010 – ongoing: Director/curator of my father’s estate, the Jeff Keen Archive – cataloguing and conserving the work and curating international exhibitions with leading galleries and institutions. Achievements include: major exhibitions at Tate Modern and Frieze, New York as well as Paris and Los Angeles; published articles and essays; designed catalogues; producing limited edition merchandise; programmes of talks and teaching workshops. Within a year of research and networking, I curated my father’s first solo exhibitions in Paris and New York. His artwork is represented by major galleries and in important private and public collections worldwide.
2020-2022: Project Coordinator and Cultural partner for Historic England’s Trinity Triangle Heritage Action Zone project, Hastings, UK
2018: Founded Arbon Arts Centre CIC (one of six Directors), created their community arts space manifesto and business plan. Produced a new White Night: Festival of Light for Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. It had exceptional audience turnout and community engagement.
1997 – 2011: Vavavavoom! Founded, directed and performed in this groundbreaking company which pioneered feminist Neo Burlesque in the UK and inspired further participatory interactive theatre in unconventional spaces. We performed nationally and internationally to much acclaim, including at the Spiegeltent. I have appeared in many notable publications, including an article I was invited to write for the Courtauld Institute here. Through my Vavavavoom School of Burlesque, I mentored many new performers who went on to develop their own successful careers. These hugely successful shows led to producing charity events, street theatre, corporate events, carnival/festival work and teaching theatre-related and body-positive workshops for adults.
1990-1995: Produced and performed in many innovative and award-winning shows at the legendary Zap Club underground arts space in Brighton UK, including the hugely influential Andy Walker’s Fame Frame anarchic weekly cabaret night, which then developed into The Billy Silver Show. Also curated film/video shows, wrote plays, exhibited my art and directed street theatre programmes for Brighton Fringe Festival.
EXHIBITIONS ORGANISED/WORKED ON:
- 100 Years of Dr Gaz, Jeff Keen solo exhibition at John Marchant Gallery: 2023
- ONCE UPON A SPACETIME, Dr Kathleen Bryson’s solo exhibition at the Royal Institution, London: 2019
- Group show featuring Jeff Keen at Marlborough Gallery, London: 2019
- Jeff Keen solo exhibition at Marc Selwyn Fine Art in Los Angeles: 2018
- Jeff Keen Wail at Kate MacGarry Gallery London: 2018
- Frieze NY – Spotlight: Jeff Keen: 2018
- Jeff Keen Cineblatz exhibition at Hales Project Room NY: 2017
- Experimental Motion (group exhibition) at Spotlight Gallery in Brighton and Hove Museum and Art Gallery: 2016
- Jeff Keen Raydayfilm solo exhibition at Hales Gallery London: 2016
- Jeff Keen The Cartoon Theatre of Dr Gaz solo exhibition at Kate MacGarry Gallery: 2016
- Idiotbox – a TV wall group exhibition curated by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard at Kate MacGarry Gallery, London: 2015
- History is Now – 7 Artists take on Britain – group exhibition at Hayward Gallery, London: 2015
- Group show: Better Books – Art, Anarchy & Apostasy, Trondheim Kunstmuseum, Norway: 2014
- Jeff Keen Solo exhibition at Kate MacGarry Gallery, London: 2013
- Jeff Keen SHOOT THE WRX – retrospective exhibition at Brighton Museum and Art Gallery (also designed catalogue). Received a record positive audience response.: 2012
- GAZAPOCALYPSE – Return To The Golden Age. Jeff Keen 360 degree digital installation in Tate Modern Tanks, London + expanded cinema live performance. Received a record positive audience response: 2012
- Group Show, Montpelier, France: 2012
- Group Show, Frith Street Gallery, London: 2012
- Group Show (British Pop Artists) Galerie Du Centre, Paris: 2012
- International Group Show, New York: 2012
- Jeff Keen Solo Show, Elizabeth Dee Gallery, New York: 2012
- Group exhibition, 1602 Broadway, New York: 2012
- Jeff Keen at Art Elysees, Paris: 2011
- Jeff Keen Solo Show, Galerie Du Centre, Paris (also designed catalogue): 2011
EXHIBITIONS OF MY ARTWORK AND FILMS:
- Planet Plastic Group art exhibition, Zuzushi Arts, Hastings: 2020
- Group art exhibition, Coastal Currents Festival, Hastings: 2020
- Myth and Lore group art exhibition, London: 2017
- Grrrl Frenzy women comic book artists group exhibition, Brighton: 1998
- Cartoon County comic book artists group exhibition – Gardner Centre, University of Sussex: 1996
- Crisp Underground Comic Art group exhibition – Market Place Gallery, London: 1995
- Group shows at Phoenix Gallery, Brighton: 1993 & 1994
- Art and the Odd Couple Festival, group exhibition with Jeff Keen, Corn Exchange, Brighton: 1992
- Group film show – Red Herring Gallery, Brighton: 1991
- Group film/slide shows- Zap Club, Brighton: 1990, 1991 & 1992
- Group film show – Whitechapel Art Gallery, London: 1989
- Group film and art show – Chisenhale Gallery, London: 1989
- Group film show – Tom Allen Centre, London: 1989
- Group film shows – London Filmmaker’s Cooperative: 1988 & 1989
- Group film shows – Riverside studios, London: 1988 & 1989
AWARDS:
- Extensive work on the Gulbenkian award-winning My Brighton and Hove digital oral history project with Desktop Display Ltd for Brighton and Hove Museum which developed into: https://www.communitysites.co.uk/project/my-brighton-and-hove: 1995 – 1998
- Zap Arts Awards for two of my own written plays Radio Serial and The Meal + two of my solo performances – Call Me Mister and Laddered Tights and No Knickers with Zap Arts awards for Zap Arts, Brighton U.K. 1990 – 1995
- Art Direction/Co-scriptwriter for Fuji Film scholarship (BAFTA Award scheme): 1989
PUBLICATIONS:
I have contributed essays and articles to these publications and television programmes listed here: https://www.jeffkeen.co.uk/publications/ as well as several interviews for arts magazines.
EDUCATION:
MA in Art History and Museum Curating, University of Sussex: 2019 – 2021
Undergraduate Certificate in Arts & Cultural Management, University of Sussex: 2004-2005
BA Hons Degree in Fine Art (Painting with Film & Video), University of East London: 1986-89
MEMBERSHIPS:
I’m a member of the Tate + DACS Foundation and various nature conservation groups.