IRENA KECKES
ART
Irena Keckes earned Ph.D. in Fine Arts degree from Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland, New Zealand (2015), with the thesis titled Mindful Repetitions: Ecologically Informed Buddhism and Contemporary Printmaking, accompanied with the exhibition of woodcut prints Mindful Repetitions. Irena received MFA in printmaking from Tokyo University of the Arts, Japan (2005), with the dissertation exhibition Time. She gained BA in Art Education from the Academy of Fine Arts, University of Zagreb, Croatia (2000), with the cycle of prints titled Undersea World. Her practice includes large-scale monochrome woodcuts, print installations, expanded fields of print, and collaborative print media and multidisciplinary practices. Irena’s artwork has been exhibited internationally in hundreds of groups and independent exhibitions. Her solo show Never Ending Story was presented in Croatia, 2022. She proactively exhibits artwork and presents academic papers at major international printmaking events and conferences, including IMPACT 13 (International Multi-disciplinary Printmaking, Artists, Concepts and Techniques) in Quebec, Canada, IMPACT 12 in Bristol UK (2022), IMPACT 11 in Hong Kong (2021), IPMACT 10 in Santander, Spain (2018), IMPACT 9 in Hangzhou, China (2015), and IPMACT 8 in Dundee, Scotland (2013). Irena presented research and exhibited artwork in SGCI (Southern Graphics Council International) conferences in Puerto Rico (2025), Las Vegas (2018) Atlanta (2017), and Portland USA (2016), and in 5th IMC(International Mokuhanga Conference) in Echizen (2024), 4th IMC in Nara, Japan (2021), 3rd IMC in Hawaii (2017) and 2nd IMC in Tokyo, Japan (2014). Irena is a member of two international female print collectives, Femigraphic, and Magenta Research Collective. She exhibited in Femigraphic exhibition in Lodz, Poland (2024), and Magenta Research Collective exhibition titled Graphic Skin in Krakow, Poland (2025). The Magenta Research Collective next exhibition takes place in Café Gallery, Guam Museum in March 2026, as well as in Krakow, Poland later in 2026. The Femigraphic Collective next show takes place in CAHA gallery Guam, in April 2026. Up till now Irena exhibited in Austria, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Poland, Canada, USA, Mexico, Argentina, India, Bangladesh, China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Guam. Irena was recipient of University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship, Japanese Government Scholarship for MFA studies, and several UOG Travel Grants, as well as Creative Scholarly Research grants. Since 2015, Irena is a Professor of Art at College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at University of Guam, where she teaches Printmaking, Drawing, Basic Design, Environmental Art, and Studio for Non-Majors’ courses.