Clayton Keyes

My sculptural practice examines environmental legacy and institutional oppression through figurative forms that center human and animal subjects. I focus on marginalized and oppressed figures, using gesture, posture, and emotional tension to create narratives that are at once unsettling and alluring. These figures often embody complex emotional states—grief, resilience, tenderness—that invite the viewer into a space of confrontation and reflection. To extend the narrative impact of my work, I frequently photograph my sculptures in found or constructed environments. This process, akin to composing a two-dimensional image, removes the work from the traditional gallery setting and situates it within a world that better supports its emotional and thematic weight. These constructed contexts deepen the viewer's engagement, encouraging them to follow the narrative threads more intuitively and intimately. This body of work is a response to the predatory behaviors of American institutions toward oppressed communities. I seek not only to reveal these dynamics but to provoke conversation, raise awareness, and open a door to collective reckoning. Through sculpture and installation, I aim to create experiences that are emotionally charged, visually compelling, and socially urgent—offering viewers space to feel, question, and respond.

My sculptural practice examines environmental legacy and institutional oppression through figurative forms that center human and animal subjects. I focus on marginalized and oppressed figures, using gesture, posture, and emotional tension to create narratives that are at once unsettling and alluring. These figures often embody complex emotional states—grief, resilience, tenderness—that invite the viewer into a space of confrontation and reflection.  To extend the narrative impact of my work, I frequently photograph my sculptures in found or constructed environments. This process, akin to composing a two-dimensional image, removes the work from the traditional gallery setting and situates it within a world that better supports its emotional and thematic weight. These constructed contexts deepen the viewer’s engagement, encouraging them to follow the narrative threads more intuitively and intimately.  This body of work is a response to the predatory behaviors of American institutions toward oppressed communities. I seek not only to reveal these dynamics but to provoke conversation, raise awareness, and open a door to collective reckoning. Through sculpture and installation, I aim to create experiences that are emotionally charged, visually compelling, and socially urgent—offering viewers space to feel, question, and respond.