This year was the centenary of the birth of Trowbridge-born artist Jeff Keen. His influence on the British contemporary art scene throughout the second half of the twentieth century was significant, whether it be his drawings, spectacular collages, or the experimental films he produced. As already announced, we will celebrate Jeff’s work in our new gallery space when we re-open the Town Hall next year.
We always knew Jeff (pictured left) would be a hard act to follow, however. we think we have found him. Rob Lye (pictured right) attended Wiltshire College before graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2011. As with Jeff, his practice spans video, sculpture, music, sound, and print. He has exhibited and performed throughout the UK and Europe in venues such as TATE Britain, the Whitechapel Gallery, the ICA, and Modern Art Oxford.
In 2019, Rob received a research grant from Arts Council England to travel to the Salar de Uyuni, an expansive ancient salt flat in Bolivia, to explore the burgeoning Lithium economy and its impact on the natural environment.
He is currently developing ideas for an exhibition in the Town Hall that will follow Jeff Keen’s. His concept is to take inspiration from the ancient Wiltshire land art of his childhood and reconsider it through the lens of the arctic circle and climate change.
More local creative talent making a national impact, and more for Trowbridge to be proud of.
Find out more about Jeff Keen in issue 10 of Celebrate, Trowbridge’s community paper.