PUBLICATIONS

Keehan, A. From structure to transformation: Painting and prosthetic intervention, Journal of Contemporary Painting, Volume 11, Issue 2, Oct 2025, p. 265 - 281

Abstract

Often viewed as static components, the frame and support structure of a painting are reconceptualized in this article as active agents of transformation. Through the incorporation of prosthetic elements – whether material or conceptual additions – painting is pushed beyond its conventional boundaries. The prosthetic modifies and expands the painting’s form and meaning, redefining its relationship with its surroundings, its audience and itself. Drawing on Elizabeth Grosz’s concept of the prosthetic and analysing the work of Fabian Marcaccio and Greg Lynn, this article explores how prosthetic inclusion disrupts the primary functions of the frame and support, enabling a dynamic interplay between interiority and exteriority, objecthood and space. The research examines the constraints imposed by these foundational elements and proposes open-ended possibilities for their role in the evolution of contemporary painting practices. By redefining the significance of structural supports in artistic transformation, this study underscores their potential to foster innovation. Ultimately, it aims to clarify and emphasize the agency inherent in artistic processes, encouraging advancements in both practice and theory.

Keehan, A. 2022 Desiring Drapery Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Catalogue 

Cloth, textures and folds have fascinated me for as long as I can remember. After a few detours, I began to understand that drapery was the central force to my practice and research. Despite it often being thought of as passé, I obsessed about how to depict light on folds through paint. I have spent the last 20 years working with this wonderful subject. Here’s where I am…

Keehan, A. 2021 Painting and Materiality: Three Creative Strategies for Transformation PhD Thesis
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Keehan, A. 2018 'Propositions for Prosthetics and Painting' in Physical or Otherwise: Suggestions and Encounters Glasgow