Charles Keiger was born in Asheville, North Carolina and now resides in Atlanta. His paintings have consistently been shown in galleries throughout the United States and he has been represented by TEW Galleries since 1990.
Keiger’s works have a sense of magical realism that reflects lightly and very perceptively upon human condition. His intensely detailed paintings reflect figural statements played out in a strange and highly staged juxtaposition of elements, landscape, animals, buildings and figures. They are layered with imagery that builds a narrative in a seemingly effortless way. The work is playful and kindly, but not childlike; it encourages the viewer to dig deep to discover personal viewpoints and meaning for the symbols presented. Keiger’s immaculate, tight and restrained technique is both lush and satisfying, creating a tension within the representation that counterbalances the gentle characterization of the figures. In this show he creates a visual riff on music with his paintings “Quartet” and “Black Dog” which, while they don’t play directly to any particular characters contain a subtext that reminds one of well-known stars; in other paintings a rabbit inhabits a surreal landscape and a tulip reminiscent of a vessel cradles an elixir made up of a night sky. This is a deeply satisfying show, well worth publishing.
