Artist, scarf and chair- 20 X 24 in- Site- Specific- Performance/Photography- Gelatin Silver Print- 2025 Keith O. Anderson ©

Artist and chair- 20 × 24 inch- Site-Specific- Performance/Photography- Gelatin Silver Print- 2025 Keith O. Anderson ©

Artist and chair- 20 × 24 inch- Site- Specific- Performance/Photography- Gelatin Silver Print- 2025- Keith O. Anderson ©

The Prayer cloth is made of a piece fabric accompanied by 3/8 of an inch white circular felt pads- Dimensions variable- Site specific- Performance/Photography- 2023

Historically the Prayer cloth is a piece of fabric Christians pray over and distribute to those whom desirer healing. My first introduction to the prayer cloth was through my beloved grandmother (Tanser Anderson), who was devoted follower of the charismatic Rev. Ike a minister and evangelist who was based in Nw York City. She would faithfully procure her prayer cloth made of silk fabric via mail. I myself was taken aback upon laying eyes on the purple silk fabric for the first time, and feeling that there was nothing exceptional, nor did I sense some sort of innate power embedded in it. My reappropriated version was retrieved from the garbage and executed utilizing the dot technique associated with Body Painting. Therefore becoming a more personal and spiritually inclined engagement.

Fabric and 3/8 of an inch white circular felt pads- Site- Specific- 2023- Keith O. Anderson ©

Fabric, plants, 3/8 of an inch white circular felt pads- Site Specific- 2023- Keith O. Anderson ©

3/8 of an inch white circular felt pads on Artist hands- 20 × 24 in- Site-Specific-Performance/Photography- 2022- Keith O. Anderson ©

3/8 of an inch white circular felt pads on Artist skin- 20 x 24inch- Site-Specific-Performance/Photography Keith O. Anderson ©

3/8 of an inch white circular felt pads on Artist skin (lower body)- 20 × 24 in - Site-Specific- Performance/Photography- 2022 Keith O. Anderson ©

3/8 of an inch white circular white felt pads on Artist skin (lower back, buttocks and legs)- 20 × 24 in- Site-Specific- Performance/Photography- 2022 Keith O. Anderson ©

Inspired by one of the oldest African traditions and art forms, “Body Painting” this particular ritual is one of several (scarification, deformation of the skull, perforations of the ear, nose, and mouth), that has been perpetuated from generation to generation in the pursuit of conveying beauty, cultural identity, initiation rites, social status, and distinguishing oneself from the enemy, whilst building a link between the natural and spirit worlds. As, I reference this act of embellishing the body with painted-on small white dots, I spontaneously position 3/8 of an inch white circular felt pads on to an isolated area of my bare skin as oppose to mimicking the archetypical painting process associated with this dynamic activity. The introduction of felt pads, which are traditionally placed underneath the bottoms of chairs and stools to protect hardwood floors from unsightly marks and scratches, enables me to conceptually transfer this idea in application to my bare skin speaks to illustrating intimacy in the ritual, and my proclivity for spiritualizing each component of my body. This performance is carried out in the privacy of my studio or a designated public space of devoid of all human activity. I shoot with a 35mm manual camera, utilizing solely the natural light illuminating the space I inhabit at that moment. Upon depositing the felt pads on to my unclad body, I begin a series of extemporaneous movements: sitting, reclining, lying on the bed, standing, moving, bending, and gesticulating. Throughout this process I am photographing and shooting my body from various angles as I document this ritual.

Documentation of Fat Crayon utilized to execute text on a mattress discovered along the sidewalk on the Lower Eastside one early morning- Site-Specific- PUBLIC SPACE INTERVENTION- 2020 Keith O. Anderson ©

Documentation of Fat Crayon, utilize to execute text on a mattress discovered along the sidewalk on the Lower East side- Site-Specific- PUBLIC SPACE INTERVENTION- 2020 Keith O. Anderson ©

3/8 of an inch white circular felt pads on chair- Dimensions Variable- 2019 Keith O. Anderson ©

Chair, stencil letters and Artist foot- 20 x 24 inch- Site-Specific- Performance/Photography- 2019 Keith O. Anderson ©

Installation View, These are not my colors- Burnt marks and a discarded painted dropcloth retrieved from the garbage- 53 x 69 1/2 in- 2018 - Keith O. Anderson ©

Installation View, Featuring Artists: Keith O. Anderson, Catherine Opie, Kahlil Joseph, Brendan Fernandes, Lyle Ashton Harris, Arthur Java, Mark Bradford, Nick Cave, Jeffrey Gibson, Derek Fordjour, Mike Kelly, Yashua Klos, Deanna Lawson, Pixy Liao, Joe Overstreet, Ebony G. Patterson, Patrick Quarm, Felandus Thames, William Werge, Kehinde Wiley, Robin Rhode, Andy Warhol, Earlie Hudnall Jr, Sheila Pee Bright, Alex Katz, and Robert Mappelthorpe. Co-Curator Rehema C. Barber and Larry Ossei-Mensah Independent Curator

Detail, Throne- Matchsticks, archival glue, linseed oil, fire residue- 36 × 16 × 16 in- 2010- 2011 Keith O. Anderson ©

Co- Curated by Rehema C. Barber, Chief Curator and Larry Ossei-Mensah, Independent Curator

Installation View: Group Exhibition featuring Artists, Keith O. Anderson, Res, and Qian Zhao: Curated by Andrianna Campbell

Detail: La, La, means I love you- 3/8 of an inch white circular felt pads non Artist skin (head, face and shoulder)- 11 × 14 in- Site-specific- Performance/Photography- Keith O. Anderson ©

Detail: I no longer write poems for her- 3/8 of an inch white circular felt pads on artist genitals and lower body- Site-Specific- 11 x 14 in- Performance/Photography- Gelatin Silver Print- 2013 Keith O. Anderson (c)

Detail: La main gauche se lave la main droite et la main droite se lave la main gauche (West African proverb)- 3/8 of an inch white circular felt pads non artist head- 20 × 24 in- Site- Specific- Performance/Photography- Gelatin Silver Print- 2004 Keith O. Anderson ©

Documentation of me installing, For Nico, because,- I am positioning hand torn strips of Black archival masking tape on to the surface of the window and window frame. I was captivated by the idea of hand torn strips of Black archival masking tape projecting from the surfaces of the window and the window frame. The interplay of artificial light and natural light caressing the adhesive side of the masking tape creating an iridescent effect of which was not planned. Keith O. Anderson ©

Installation View, For Nico, because…..- Hand torn strips of Black archival masking tape positioned on the surfaces of the window and window frame- 79 x 117- Site-Specific- 2015 Keith O. Anderson (c) Curated by Michael Sarf featuring artists: Keith O. Anderson, Marcy Chevalier, and James Cullinae: Curated by Michael Sarf

Detail: For Nico, because……..- Hand torn strips of Black archival masking tape positioned on the surfaces of the window and window frame- 79 x 117 in- Site-Specific- 2015- Keith O. Anderson ©

Detail: In this Box- Found cardboard box, powder pigment, acrylic paint, primer, staples, and asphalt saturated cotton fabric- 17 × 18.5 × 19 in- 2015 Keith O. Anderson ©

Installation View of Artist Salon Group Exhibition, Curated by Eun Young Chi, Ian Cofré, William Cordova, David Andrew Frey, Jason Keeling, Rick Herron, Colette, Brad Silk, Cindy Rucker, and Southfirst.

During the year 2010, I participated in a Group Exhibition organized by the Curator Christine Licata. On the last day of the exhibition I brought my 35mm camera, and I asked her to photograph me wearing my sculpture around my neck, while executing a series of extemporaneous movements in the gallery space inhabited by natural light. I set up the camera for Christine and she did the rest, my aim was to experience all of her sensibilities, and apprehensions.

(Detail: To Tanser Anderson, Eva Hesse, Jackie Winsor, and Leontyne Price,Sculpture (around the neck of the Artist)- Wiggleboard, and dry almonds archival glue- 2008-09- Site-Specific- Performance/Photography- Gelatin Silver Print- 11 x 14 in- 2010 Keith O. Anderson ©

Installation View: This side of the bed is occupied- Matchsticks (all cut by hand by the Artist), wood glue and a piece of wood- 4 ½ x 16 × 5 in- 2002 Keith O. Anderson ©

Detail: This side of the bed is occupied- Matchsticks (all the tips/heads of the matches were cut by hand by the Artist), wood glue and a piece of wood glue- 4 1/2 x 16 × 5 in- 2002 Keith O. Anderson ©

Autoportrait- Dry golden raisins and the Artist shirt- 2009 Keith O. Anderson ©

Last night a DJ saved my life with a song- Straight pins penetrating the skin of the Artist foot- Performance/Photography- C-Print- 20 x 24 in- 2007 Keith O. Anderson ©

Straight pins penetrating the skin of the Artist foot, therefore becoming a receptacle for ideas and emotions- Keith O. Anderson ©

Group Exhibition Curated by Nico Wheadon featuring Artist: Keith O. Anderson, Ezra Wube, Wayne Hodge, Jessica Lagunas, Johannes DeYoung, Regina Locke, Legato Shade

She says I don’t kiss her everyday like I used to- Latex flat paint mixed with dry pigment, uncooked Black eyed peas, and wood- 4 x 5 x 3 in- Site-Specific- 2009 Keith O. Anderson © Curated By Nico Wheadon Featuring Artists: Keith O. Anderson, Ezra Wube, Jessica Lagunas, Johannes DeYoung, Wayne Hodge, Regina Rocke, Lerato Shadi

As Africa Turns- Burnt marks, and broken vinyl record, and dust- 12 x 10 in- 2008- Installation- Keith O. Anderson (c)

Group Exhibition Curated by Rehema Barber featuring artists Keith O. Anderson, Dwayne Butcher, Shelia Pree Bright, Tam Tran, Joel Parsons, Jonathan and Mary Postal, Jack Ryan, Marie Irmgard, and Charles Huntley Nelson.

Installation View: Nigger this, Nigger that, an on, an on, an on, until we/they just don’t stop !- Wood Clothes pins (each clothespin was painted by hand by the Artist), and acrylic household paint mixed with dry pigment - Dimensions Variable- 2006- Site-Specific Installation- Keith O. Anderson ©

Nigger this, Nigger that, an on, an on, an on, until we/they just don’t stop ! - Wood clothes pins (each clothespin was painted by hand by the Artist), acrylic household paint mixed with dry pigment- 2006- Site-Specific Installation- Keith O. Anderson ©