Contemporary abstract artist and Royal Academician Ian McKeever has generously donated three artworks to Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) to be included in the University's permanent collection.
An Honorary Fellow of AUB, McKeever announced his decision to donate the artworks following his exhibition, Ian McKeever: Against Architecture, which took place at the University as part of TheGallery's 25th anniversary celebrations in 2023. This exhibition was a new configuration of an installation originally curated by Robin Klassnik of Matt's Gallery, London, in 2017.
Two of the works donated, Eagduru Study (2013) and Eagduru Study (2014) were part of the Against Architecture exhibition.
Former AUB Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Gough, and TheGallery Curator and Manager Violet M. McClean joined McKeever at his studio in June 2024 to select the large painting, Here I, from the Four Quartet series, on behalf of the University.
McKeever played a significant role in TheGallery's history as the first artist to exhibit in 2003, alongside poet David Miller. He was later a panel member in 2021 on The Grammar of Drawing panel discussion.
As part of the Against Architecture exhibition at AUB, TheGallery and ANOMIE Publishing collaborated on a new publication, also entitled Against Architecture, which is published under TheGallery's text + work series. In her chapter titled, The Curator’s Passage in Time, Violet talks about the exhibition at AUB, McKeever's art practice, and his relationship with the University.
At the celebration event for Paul Gough in January, Violet said, "On behalf of the University, I would like to formally acknowledge and thank our AUB Honorary Fellow of 2002, renowned artist Ian McKeever, for his generous donation of three artworks to AUB’s art collection.
"Ian is not just an Honorary Fellow, he is a good friend of the University, too.”
An AUB Honorary Fellowship is a highly prestigious award which the University bestow to persons who have connected with AUB and made a significant contribution to the field of arts, design, media or performance in a professional capacity or an educational role.
