About the Artwork

In this series of work, my role has been to observe and photo-document, studying the outlines created by city lights. Walking the city photographing and recording, the non-stop nature of the city is documented through endless small events and incidents. Long-exposure photographs capture objects and people as black marks obstructing the lights of the city. I later “translate” these images into three-dimensional neon installations, with the city sounds correlated to match the sequence of the neon as it turns on and off.

Year: 2016


Copyright the artist, courtesy of the artist. Photo: © Nick Turpin

Material

neon and plastic sheet

Dimensions

240 x 120 cm

Artist Biography

Kevin Killen

Kevin Killen current practice is the creation of neon light sculptures and installations, often site- specific. Physically making the neon himself and this process of controlling the neon is very much part of the work. While different bodies of work have very separate theories behind them, the connection is the desire to use light to translate movement into tangible sculptural forms. Killen studied from 1996 to 1999 at the Surrey Institute of Art and Design University College (now the UCA), specialising for one year in 3D Design and two years in Fine Art. Having worked in community arts, in 2009 he began his practice as an artist. That year he trained in Dallas, Texas, studying neon glass skills; developing his long-term interest in neon. Now based in Northern Ireland, he has been continually exploring his own visual language using the medium of light, exploring issues of boundaries and behavioural patterns.