The Kerlin Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of new work by William McKeown entitled 'Forever Paintings'.

Although McKeown's new paintings continue the artists interest in the monochrome as model they are not concerned with abstraction per se. Like those shown in his critically acclaimed solo show 'In An Open Room' at the Douglas Hyde Gallery in 2001 these works are representational paintings of the sky, often with particular reference to the movement into light as experienced in mornings. Through very subtle gradation of tone and a highly refined use of colour these paintings are primarily concerned with creating a type of space similar to one found in nature. They present the sky around us as open, optimistic, expansive, inclusive, infinite, universal and beautiful.

McKeown studied at Central/St Martin's School of Art & Design, London, Glasgow School of Art and the University of Ulster at Belfast and has for a number of years lived and worked in Dublin.  He has participated in a number of group exhibitions including the exhibition of contemporary Irish drawings, 'A Measured Quietude' which toured the Berkeley Art Museum, California and The Drawing Center, New York in 1999/2000; and 'The Sea & The Sky' at the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin and Beaver College Art Gallery, Glenside, Pennsylvania in 2000. McKeown was short-listed for the prestigious Irish Museum of Modern Art Glen Dimplex Award in 1997.

William McKeown's solo show, 'The Sky Begins At Our Feet' at the Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast runs from 25 July - 24 August. Ormeau Baths Gallery will produce a fully illustrated catalogue with an essay by Isabel Nolan.

McKeown is also curating 'The Holiday Show' a painting group show at the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin from 16 Aug. - 29 Sept.