2012 Catalogue Archive

“They’re specific in how vague they are,” says Matt Keegan when asked about the phrases he chooses for his text-based work. Keegan embraces everyday words and idioms, equating them to empty vessels that could be used to carry a variety of meanings. In this work, the ubiquitous political phrase “EQUAL MEANS EQUAL” is cut apart and repeated, emphasizing the fluid, malleable nature of a language as a means of communicating complex human ideas. Keegan’s work has been seen in a number of shows worldwide and is included in the collections of the Annette and Peter Nobel Collection, Zurich; the Guggenheim Museum, New York; and Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.