Christy Keeney studied ceramics at the Royal College of Art in London. He was commissioned by the sculptor Eduardo Paolozzi to work on a portrait of Richard Rodgers, for an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London 1988. After spending 17 years in London, Christy returned to his native Donegal where he now lives and works with his family.
The sculptures have a strong narrative quality that invites you to contemplate the story behind the work. He sculpts and draws into slabs of wet clay creating heads and disjointed figures. These figurative ceramics are an investigation into the human condition, with his forms often extended to the point where sculpture and drawing meld. He uses washes of colour to denote mood and atmosphere, whilst sometimes opting for a monochromatic palette to heighten the form's impact.
A multi-talented artist, Christy is also known for his rich paintings and musical talents too.
"I visited a retrospective exhibition of Picasso, at the Tate gallery, in the early 80s when I was at college, and many of my influences came from seeing that work. Especially a collection of small card-board cutout and folded, figurative sculptures. These simple two dimensional pieces opened a world of possibilities on how I would approach my own work."
