Phil Keers (b. 1994) is a visual artist; originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, currently living and working in Glasgow, Scotland, where he is undertaking a Masters in Fine Art at The Glasgow School of Art. His work is multi-disciplinary, mainly taking the form of sculpture, performance, and installation art and has exhibited both nationally; in Belfast, Manchester & London and internationally; in Dublin, China & Thailand.
He had a yearlong residency at Belfast School of Art within the Sculpture Lens area of Fine Art, having graduated from Ulster University with a BA in Fine Art in 2018.
In 2019, Keers was awarded a SIAP travel award by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, to take part in a week-long performance art festival, Rebel Live Action #3 ECO ART, in Bangkok Thailand.
His solo exhibition, 'Cut It Out' at Pollen Studios and Gallery, Belfast, aimed to summarise an ongoing project within the performance element of Keers’ practice; deconstructing and examining language used in a derogatory or inflammatory way and questioning why they are still part of common vocabularies today.
In 2021 Keers was selected to exhibit in “Portrait of Northern Ireland - Neither an elegy nor a manifesto”, at The Golden Thread Gallery in Belfast, which formed part of the Northern Ireland Office’s centenary celebrations.
Artist’s Statement:
My work is primarily mixed media sculpture, often with incorporated sound elements. Recently, I have been interested in text-based art forms and used this as a mode to communicate the complexities of the structures of language. This has manifested itself in my sculptural work and through experimentation within performance-based practice.
In my text sculptures I draw inspiration from both platonic and romantic relationships in my life. I respond to how it feels to be LGBTQIA+ in Northern Ireland today. Certain themes have sometimes been politically driven because of this. In my work I have attempted to make a statement about such topics as marriage equality and the patriarchal societal system.
I am fascinated by the origins and etymology of words, double meanings, and homophones. In my sculptures I try to harness this fascination, creating letters, forming words that change when looked at from an alternative direction; for there is always another way to look at things. My practice considers conceptual themes, investigating gender, sexuality, human emotion, and religion.
In my performance work I have focused on themes of language that I find toxic and outdated. Words that have been hi-jacked and are used to cause upset and therefore pull focus from their original meaning or intended use. I am bringing these words to our attention to highlight their misuse and to also try to take a proud new ownership over them to diminish their derogatory application. Our choice of language is so important. To effectively communicate we reply on a certain word to refer to something for us to have a conversation about it. We inadvertently place something in a metaphorical box to begin to try and understand it. However, I find that as we begin to learn more; certain words become outdated or redundant, and it is important for a collective update of vocabulary and to take things out of that box that they may no longer belong in.
A common theme in all areas of my practice, has been a promotion of mental health awareness. This stems from but is not exclusively linked to, my LGBTQIA+ experience in NI. From 2018 to present, I have been creating a body of work consisting of “Notes to Self” placards, which attempt to promote positivity at their core.
LOVE is LOVE, 2018, Foamalux 3mm plastic