Francis McKee (born 1960) is an Irish writer, curator, and academic based in Glasgow, Scotland. He has played a prominent role in the contemporary art scene of the United Kingdom, notably serving as director of Glasgow International from 2005 to 2008 and as director of the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), Glasgow, from 2006 until 2023【4†L1-L4】.
McKee is a lecturer and research fellow at the Glasgow School of Art, where his scholarly work has included investigations into open‑source cultural practices, Irish traditional music recordings, and early twentieth‑century comic art (particularly Krazy Kat)【4†L5-L8】. His curatorial projects have encompassed international exhibitions such as the Scottish participation in the 2003 Venice Biennale (co‑curated with Kay Pallister) and the exhibition Zenomap【4†L9-L11】.
As a writer, McKee has authored numerous catalogues, essays, and books on contemporary artists, including Christine Borland, Ross Sinclair, Douglas Gordon, Pipilotti Rist, and international figures such as Matthew Barney and Minerva Cuevas【4†L12-L16】. Selected publications include:
- Dark Tales: Translations of Tales by Ester Krumbachova (2019)
- Even The Dead Rise Up (Book Works, 2017)
- How to Know What Is Really Happening (Sternberg Press, 2016)
McKee’s contributions extend to collaborative editing projects on the Icelandic Love Corporation and Salla Tykkä, as well as research collaborations with the Wellcome Trust on the history of medicine【4†L17-L21】. His career reflects a sustained engagement with both the production and critical discourse of contemporary art across Europe.
