When I Grow Up...

2015, old steel plates, wood, fiberglass, enamel and latex balloons, 61 X 96 X 15 in., 175 lbs.

Corporate collection in Bellevue, Washington
“When I Grow Up...” (2015) by Keith Francis. This 61 by 96 by 15-inch installation is centered around a large, white-painted peace sign set against a backdrop of heavily weathered and rusted industrial steel plates salvaged from the Wamsutta Mills. A life-size black stencil of a young boy is suspended in the air, his body central to the peace sign. He grips a small cluster of helium-filled latex balloons (purple, red, blue, green, and yellow) that float above the industrial metal. The artwork uses a salvaged freight door with a deep history of military production to critique the intersecting narratives of childhood play, industry, and war, drawing on the artist’s family ties to the mill and personal memories of the Vietnam War era.

You may also like

Subtleties of Indoctrination III
37" X 25" X 21", Antique wooden television with LCD screen, black + white video.
We Reap What We Sow
2024, found object; 55" X 14.5" X 14"
Democracy: It’s a Game
2018, repurposed 1969 Gottlieb pinball machine, wood, graphics, glass and electronics. 60" X 56" X 29" in | 178 X 142 X 74 cm
Caste #2
2024, wood and latex paint, 6.5" X 22.5" X 5" in (each). Overall display 54" tall x 22.5" width.
What If? (Confronting the Abyss)
2023, Mixed media on steel, neon glass text, 48" X 48" X 6".
Violation
2020, repurposed parking meter, aluminum pole, stainless steel base. 54 X 10 X 10 in.
The Omniscient Frame
2025, antique gilded frame, wood, video LCD screen, internal electronics, 22" X 22" X 6"
Made in China
2023, 34" X 60", 100% Cotton
Childhood Cowboys
2022, wood, enamel, LCD screen, video and antique child’s wagon, 60 X 60 X 30 in.
Us and Them
2019, repurposed 1968 Gottlieb pinball machine, 70" X 56" X 29" in | 178 X 142 X 74 cm
↑Back to Top