John Keane's work has focused on many of the most pressing political questions of our age, and he came to national prominence in 1991 when he was appointed by the Imperial War Museum as the official British war artist during the (first) Gulf War.

His work has remained deeply concerned with conflict and its causes, whether religious, political or social, both in Britain and around the world. His subjects have included Northern Ireland troubles, Central America, the Middle East and Rwanda, sometimes working with organisations such as Greenpeace and Christian Aid.

Other subject matter has addressed difficult topics relating to religiously inspired terrorism such as Guantanamo Bay, the Moscow theatre siege of 2002, as well as home-grown acts of violence against civilians. He also became known for commissioned portraits of notable individuals such as Mo Mowlam (for the National Portrait Gallery), Jon Snow (for Channel Four) and Kofi Annan (for the United Nations).

John Keane was born in Harpenden, Hertfordshire in 1954 and attended Camberwell School of Art from 1972-1976. In 2021, after a career lasting over 40 years and over 60 solo exhibitions, he decided to stop painting. His reasons for doing so can be found here.

His work is included in many public and private collections, both in the UK and internationally.

He lives in London and Suffolk.

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John Keane looking at the camera, you can only see the left side of John's face

Archive of Works

All works sorted chronologically by year and available for sale where indicated.

Exhibitions Archive

Solo exhibitions dating from 1978

News and thoughts

A selection of news, updates, thoughts etc.

  • COPYRIGHTS & WRONGS

    COPYRIGHTS & WRONGS, The Jackdaw,, July/August 2026. (How a TV production company attempted to steal an image of mine without payment or acknowledgement..)

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  • Talking Headless - Once Upon a Time Back in the Studio..

    Once upon a time in the studio... Float 2015, oil/linen 200x200cm. When the painting was going well sometimes I just liked to have a little dance when no-one was looking. Stumbling across this little video again I find myself slightly disturbed that I am largely headless - a macabre resonance perhaps.. And also the completely random soundtrack of Talking Heads 'And She Was', which just happened to be playing: 'The world was moving, she was floating above it, and she was.. This had no link to the title of my painting, which was more to do with Isis hostages being drowned.

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  • HEALTH WORKERS 4 PALESTINE FUNDRAISING AUCTION

    I have donated this print to Voices of Solidarity online auction wh o are helping raise funds for the @healthworkers4palestine Solidarity Fund alongside the event taking place on July 19th at @troxylondon.

    🇵🇸 Support Gaza's health workers by bidding on unique gifts from film and theatre memorabilia, life experiences, and wellness treatments to clothing, jewellery, and opportunities to meet or zoom with A listers, doctors, writers, and activists.

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  • Here&Queer..?!

    Keywords: community practice, Here&Queer, class, disability (& the Nottinghamshire Coal Miners)

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Prints and Graphics

Archive of Limited Edition Prints and Graphics (available for purchase where indicated)

Available to purchase

Comprehensive archive of works available for purchase direct