French artist Jordan Tran, also known as KEAN, seamlessly bridges his vibrant graffiti origins with refined contemporary abstraction, crafting luminous dreamscapes that captivate with their flawless gradients and emotive depth. Born in 1988 and based in Mulhouse, KEAN transforms moments of fleeting beauty into profound meditations on colour, memory, and imagination in his latest exhibition 'Fleeting Skies’ at Maddox Gallery.
Initially making his mark as a graffiti artist on city walls, Jordan Tran, or KEAN, gradually shifted his practice to canvas. Reflecting on these formative years, he observes, “Graffiti taught me the study of colour and how to create gradients, something that remains essential to my work today.” After two decades devoted to vibrant street art, he fully committed to painting in 2017.
© The artist Jordan Tran in his studio in Mulhouse, France
Moving from street to studio proved no easy task. KEAN recalls, “At first, graffiti belonged strictly on the streets for me. I couldn’t express myself on canvas as freely as I could on walls.” To surmount this barrier, he began to abstract his lettering, evolving towards a style now termed ‘post-graffiti’. This approach liberated him to explore abstract forms and movements, forging a unique visual language.
Photography has had a profound impact on KEAN’s aesthetic. Compelled to capture the intense sensations elicited by vast landscapes, distant horizons and the shifting nuances of light and colour, he adopted photographic conventions such as white borders reminiscent of analog prints. These elements enhance the sense of viewing his work through windows, doors or portholes — notably in pieces like Le matin n’attend pas, Sur la plage abandonée, and Deepest ocean.
KEAN’s abstract landscapes astonish with their immaculate gradients, achieved by layering thin washes of acrylic. “Acrylic dries quickly, so creating these smooth transitions is both physically and mentally demanding,” he explains. The outcomes are richly textured atmospheres—whether the deep indigo of night, the warmth of sunset or the soft pastel of twilight.
A pivotal moment arrived during a transformative trip to Iceland in 2017. “Iceland profoundly changed how I translated my emotions into painting,” KEAN reflects. “The blues and turquoises there were mystical and lodged themselves deeply in my memory.” This experience shifted his palette, initially dominated by blues, subsequently embracing warmer tones, gentle pastels and contemplative violets, each hue capturing the ephemerality of nature’s splendour.
A self-taught artist, KEAN’s personal approach to abstraction draws heavily on the American Colour Field and California Light and Space movements. Inspired by the likes of Rothko and James Turrell, he notes, “Discovering these movements removed my self-imposed limits. It allowed me to see that there are no boundaries in art.”
His paintings serve as symbolic windows, inviting viewers to escape into introspective, imaginary realms. “I want people to connect with their own memories and emotions, finding peace and reflection in the landscapes I create,” he says.
'Fleeting Skies', KEAN’s debut solo exhibition in the UK at Maddox Gallery, presents a diverse body of work framed by doorways, portholes and windows, and coloured in tones ranging from delicate pastels to vivid magentas. “Every second shifts the light; that’s the moment I strive to capture,” he emphasises. Highlights include L’Aveu de tes yeux, with its whisper-soft hues suggesting confessions unspoken; Hold me down with fever, a canvas pulsing with molten magenta; and Un seul ciel and Child’s play, each showcasing his masterful use of gradients to frame distinct emotional geographies.
This exhibition at Maddox Gallery unites KEAN’s recent travels into a coherent narrative of evolving perspectives. He hopes visitors will engage deeply, leaving with a renewed sense of introspection and emotional resonance.
Discover KEAN’s exhibition 'Fleeting Skies' at Maddox Gallery. To explore the works further and delve into the artist’s journey, download our exhibition catalogue, available now.
