193ND RHA ANNUAL EXHIBITION -22nd May, 2023 – 30th Jul, 2023, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
192ND RHA ANNUAL EXHIBITION -23 MAY- 24 JULY 2022 , Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
JUSTICE – NEVER ENOUGH EHXIBITION AND INSTALLATION AT THE HIGHLANES MUNICIPAL GALLERY 4-SEPTEMBER- 16 OCTOBER 2022- DROGHEDA ARTS FESTIVAL
Justice – Never Enough, Currently exhibiting at The Highlanes Municipal Gallery Drogheda, Ireland.
Abigail O’Brien is Interviewed by Cristin Leach about her current exhibition Justice Never Enough.
While artist Abigail O’Brien was in the UK taking photos of the iconic Aston Martin sports car, the #MeToo movement was revving up around the world.
Prince Andrew was being interviewed on prime time television about his affiliation with the convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, while, in New York, Harvey Weinstein sat in the witness box as the women he had sexually abused gave their testimonies.
O’Brien has entitled her new show ‘Justice – Never Enough’. It is the final part of a 15 year project using the four Cardinal Virtues – Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude and Justice – to explore and investigate issues of gender. As its title suggests, this latest promises to be the most explosive.
The Aston Martin, a symbol around which much of the exhibition is centred, has long been associated with the character of James Bond, and, as such, represents a particular kind of flamboyant male power. Bond’s machismo and outdated misogynistic attitudes, however, are no longer celebrated in the way that they once were, and it is within this evolution that much of the work lives.
O’Brien can be playful. The exhibition includes a sequence of large, vivid colour images of Aston Martins being assembled. Onto each of these, she has subtly inserted one of Bond’s more risqué quotes.
Other elements are more charged. In the show’s centrepiece, a mangled Aston Martin Volante, which O’Brien has named ‘Harvey’ is presented as a true Weinstein metaphor: a disfigured monster surrounding himself with beauty and sophistication.
The more prevalent issues exposed by the Weinstein case and through the #MeToo movement have never been fully resolved, but some measure of justice (“Never Enough”) was obtained in 2019 when Harvey Weinstein was jailed for 23 years.
This timely and provocative exhibition also includes a newly written soundtrack by James O’Neill (Bitches with Wolves). The six minute song ‘Justice’ is a Bond song to beat them all.
This exhibition is presented for the 2021 Drogheda Art Festival.
Opening to the public on September 4th 2021, Highlanes Gallery (offsite) at The Methodist Church, St. Laurence’s Street, Drogheda, from 12pm-4pm.
Abigail O’Brien
Justice – Never Enough
4 September – 16 October 2021
www.droghedaartsfestival
www.highlanes.ie
INSTALLATION AT 190th RHA ANNUAL EXHIBITION 2020
1977, 1978, 1981, 1987, 1990, 1996.
The six photographic prints, of hand embroidered samplers, refer to love. They are full of personal emotion.
The Titles of the work denote the year that the embroidery was made. The physical tokens are small in size, each not bigger than 16 X 22 cms. approx
At the time they were made, there was huge vulnerability and even now, 30 years later, that vulnerability is still there.
Embroidery features often in O’Brien’s work.
Love tokens are also included in an earlier work, The Ophelia Room, 2000, whereby five hand embroidered, Memento (Mori) referenced Ophelia’s unrequited love.
These hand-made tokens were made annually for Valentine’s Day over a 16 year period, one per year.
The sentiments that are expressed are universal in their simple yearning for love and acceptance. They symbolise the ideal of Love.
Sometimes it doesn’t work out quite as planned.
They didn’t fail in their project because they kept the Artist’s heart open.
Love always finds a home. Sometimes, not always where it is expected.
INSTALLATION AT 189th RHA ANNUAL EXHIBITION 2019
Left to right – Why Would You Go Out Half Cocked?, Does It Look Like I Need The money?, I Like My Women Married Archival Print under non-reflective Glass. 54 X114 X2 cm. edition 1/3 and 2 AP.
FOUR UNDER THREE – RHA Annual Exhibition in Dublin, May 22, 2018 – August 11, 2018
Four Under Three, O’Brien’s photographic collection exhibited as part of the 188th RHA Annual Exhibition in Dublin from May 22, 2018 – August 11, 2018
PRUDENCE AND THE GAME OF GOLF – RHA Ashford Gallery 17 November – 20 December (Now Closed)
In November 2017, the RHA presented Abigail O’Brien RHA, Prudence and the Game of Golf in the RHA Ashford Gallery, a photographic, sculpture and sound installation.
Having completed Fortitude, The Collector, 2005 and Temperance, Oatfield Sweet Factory, 2009, Prudence is the third body of work in O’Briens series, The Temporal (Cardinal) Virtues, which are Fortitude, Temperance, Prudence, and Justice.
The word ‘virtue’ is derived from the Latin word Vir meaning mankind; male and female. It should be noted that Homer wrote almost exclusively about mighty men, great wars, adventures and encounters with monsters and today we would include women in similar terms. Virtues are guidelines and codes of conduct. The Temporal (Cardinal) Virtues are a treatise in dualism and every virtue has its vice. What today constitutes a virtue? How are these virtues transformed or perhaps sublimated into an acceptable form? Who today are the virtuous?
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021
Justice – Never Enough, Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda, september 2021
2017
PRUDENCE AND THE GAME OF GOLF, RHA, Ashford Gallery 17TH November – 20TH December 2017
2015
WITH BREAD, Limerick City Gallery, January – March, 2015..
2014
WITH BREAD, The Dock, Carrick-On-Shannon February 7th – April 5th, 2014. Touring to the Limerick City Gallery, 2015.
2013
WITH BREAD, – The Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda until November 16th.
2012
AIRFIX DAYS, – The Peppercanister Gallery, Dublin, October 19 – November 10. Click to download Gallery Catalogue
2011
TEMPERANCE, – 2009, January 2011 – April 25th, 2011, RHA Foyer
2011
TEMPERANCE, – 2010, Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf.
2009
TEMPERANCE, – 2009, Letterkenny Municipal Arts Centre, Co. Donegal, Ireland.
2008
BELLA, – 2008, Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf.
2007
BELLA, – 2007, Rubicon Gallery, Dublin.
2006
CONFIRMATION- MARTHA’S CLOTH, – 2004, Gallerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf.
2005
FORTITUDE, – 2005, The John David Mooney Foundation, Chicago.
GARDEN HEAVEN – HOLY ORDERS, – 2001 – 2003, Centre Culture Irlandais, Paris.
THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS, – 1995 – 2004, The R.H.A. Gallagher Gallery, Dublin.
VITA ACTIVA, –The Rubicon Gallery.
2004
THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS, 1995 – 2004, Haus der Kunst, Munich, Germany.
THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS, 1995 – 2004, The Kunstverein, Lingen, Germany.
2003
THE RAG TREE SERIES, Rubicon Gallery, Dublin.
THE RAG TREE SERIES, Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf.
2001
HOW TO BUTTERFLY A LEG OF LAMB a collaboration with Mary Kelly, Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf.
2000
FROM THE OPHELIA ROOM – EXTREME UNCTION, Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf.
FROM BAPTISM, The Sculpture Court, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh.
HOW TO BUTTERFLY A LEG OF LAMB a collaboration with Mary Kelly, Edinburgh Arts Festival.
1999
KITCHEN PIECES – CONFESSION AND COMMUNION, Galerie Stadtpark, Krems, Austria.
HOW TO BUTTERFLY A LEG OF LAMB, a collaboration with Mary Kelly, The Concourse, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, County Dublin.
1998
KITCHEN PIECES – CONFESSION AND COMMUNION, Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf.
1996
BAPTISM, Old Museum, Belfast.
Man Eating Cream Bun installation, Habitat, Dublin.
BAPTISM, Häagen Dazs/Temple Bar Gallery Solo Award, Dublin.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023
It Took a Century: Women Artists and the RHA – National Gallery of Ireland. 1 July – 22 October 2023.
Boyle Festival Visual Arts, Connections, invited Artist, July 20 – August 7.
Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, invited Artist, Royal Academy of Arts, London, June 13 – August 20.
In Residence III, Cromwell Place, London. With The Oliver Sears Gallery, June 20 – July 1.
193rd Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts Annual Exhibition , May 22 -July 30.
2022
Abigail O’Brien Selects, works by RHA Council Members, Glor, Ennis. November 11, 2022 – January 14, 2023
141st RUA Annual Exhibition, Royal Ulster Academy of Arts, invited Artist, October 2022 – January 2023.
Photo Ireland Festival, The Printworks, Dublin Castle, Dublin, 7th July – 28th August.
Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, invited Artist, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 21st June – 21st August
The Works We Thought We Had, Limerick Museum, April 21st – May 5th.
192nd RHA Annual Exhibition, RHA Gallery, Dublin, May 23rd – August 12th.
Meat and Potatoes, Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, July 15th – November 6th.
2021
Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, invited Artist, London, Sept 2021 – January 2022.
191st RHA Annual Exhibition, RHA Gallery, Dublin, 27 September – 30 October
140th RUA Annual Exhibition, Royal Ulster Academy of Arts , invited Artist, 28 October – January 2022.
Boyle Arts Festival. Crossings, invited Artist, Kings House, 5 – 14 August.
Art Beijing 2021, Agricultural Exhibition Centre of China, Beijing, 30 April – 3 May
2020
190th RHA Annual Exhibition Online, RHA Gallery, Dublin, 20 October – 13 December View here.
Life in Still Life Collection of the OPW, Phoenix Park Visitor Centre, Dublin. January – February
Life in Still Life Collection of the OPW, Portumna Castle, Co. Galway. March – April
2019
Life in Still Life collection of the OPW, Holywood Library, Holywood, Co. Down. November – December
Life in Still Life collection of the OPW, Burnavon Theatre, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone. September – October
Youyi Group Exhibition, Hangzhou Library, China. October – November 2019
Youyi Group Exhibition, Irish Embassy Beijing. China. October – November 2019
Legacy, Boyle Arts Festival, King House, Boyle, Co. Roscommon, July 18 – August 5
189th RHA Annual Exhibition, May 21, 2018 – August 10, 2019
Regard, Celebrating Woman from The National Self – Portrait Collection, The Bourne Vincent Gallery, Limerick City University, March – June 2019
2018
Mick O’Dea Selects, Glór, Ennis, Co. Clare, 14 December, 2018
188th RHA Annual Exhibition, May 22, 2018 – August 11, 2018
2017
RHA Annual Exhibition, 2017
Bristle, Hair and Hegemony, The Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda. July 8th – Sept.
2016
Gut Instinct, Art, Food and Feeling, The Glucksman Gallery, University College, Cork. November 5th – March 19th, 2017
RHA Members Exhibition, Nov. 15th – Dec. 21st, RHA Gallery, Ely Place, Dublin
RHA Collection, 39th Clifden Arts Festival, 2017, Sept. 16th – 23rd, Galway
186th Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Open Exhibition, March 22nd – June 11th
Jardin, Kunstraumlangenloise p.p., Austria, April 5th – May 1st
2015
185th RHA Annual Exhibition
New Acquisitions, The RHA, Dublin, January – April
2014
Re Framing the Domestic, The Highlanes Gallery, April – August
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, May – Sept
Spring Exhibition, Peppercanister gallery, Dublin, March
2013
Kaleidoscope: Contemporary Art from EU Members States. Representing Ireland. Farmleigh Gallery, Dublin, April 2013.
Janus, The Peppercanister Gallery, Dublin, January 17 – February 9th.
Handicraft. Materials and Symbolism, Museum der Kunst, WestKüste Det Paulsen Legaat gemeinnützige, GmbH, Hauptstraße 7 • D-25938 Alkersum, March 2nd.
2012
Ateliers and Kitchen, Laboratories of the Senses, Marta Herford, Germany, opened May 11th.
Kinsale Arts Festival Ireland, opened July 7th
7:42, Irish Contemporary Art, Kaapelitehtaan Valssaamossa,The Cable Factory , Helsinki. With Mary Kelly, Sean Cotter and Thomas Brezing. 8.03.12. – 26.03.12. Touring to The High Lanes Municipal Gallery, Drogheda, Ireland, opens May 4th, 2012.
2011
Apertures and Anxieties – Artists celebrate 300 years of Trinity College School of Medicine, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, November 15th – December 21st.
Christmas Show,ArtCatto Gallery, Loule, Portugal, December 10th – End January 2012.
Christmas Show,Soloman Fine Art Gallery, Dublin, December 1st – Mid January 2012.
7:42, Irish Contemporary Art, Lapua Museum of Art, Lapua Finland. With Mary Kelly, Sean Cotter and Thomas Brezing. 14.12.2011 – 26.2.2012. Touring to The Cable Factory , Helsinki in March and The High Lanes Municipal Gallery, Drogheda, August, 2012.
Christmas Group Show, The Solomon Fine Art Gallery, Balfe Street, Dublin, November/December , 2011.
Still, Peppercanister Gallery, 3 Herbert Street, Dublin 2. Opens Sept 8th 2011.
Cast 25, James Wray Gallery, Belfast, July 1st – July 26th.
Cast 25,Solomon Gallery, Dublin, May.
Altered Images, Letterkenny Regional Cultural Centre, Co. Donegal, Ireland, May 17th – June 15th.
181st RHA Annual Exhibition, Ely Place, Dublin, May 24th -July 30th
Three Colours / Red, 2001. April/May 2011. A collaboration with Mary Kelly, SOMA Contemporary, Waterford.
Altered Images, 14th February – 29th April, Crawford Art gallery, Cork.
Children get choosy with IMMA, 22nd March – 9th April, Wexford Arts Centre, Co. Wexford.
2010
Summer Interval’10, Gallerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf.
Altered Images, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Kilmainham, June – August.
Sacred, June/July 2010, Dock Off-site, Enniskillen, Curator Linda Shevlin.
Let them Luv’ Cake, March 2010, at Cake Contemporary Arts, The Curragh Army Camp, Co. Kildare, Ireland.Click Here for more info
2009
Altered Images, 19th June – 5th August 2009, County Museum, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, in association with The Irish Museum of Modern Art.
Another Island, Contemporary Irish Art, March 2009, The American Historical Society, New York.
2008
Summer Interval 08, Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf.
RHA 178th Annual Exhibition, February 2008, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin.
Obra Nabarmenenak /Obras Fundamentals, Oct 2007 – Jan 1008, Sala Kubo-Kutxa, San Sebastian.
2007
RHA 177th Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin.
Gestures of Infinity, Kultutzentrum bei den Minoriten, Graz, Austria.
2006
Einfach So, Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf.
RHA 176th Annual Exhibition, (invited Artist) Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin.
Ten Years in the Making, an Exhibition of Art from the State Buildings, 1995 – 2005, Farmleigh, Dublin.
National Self-Portrait Collection, University of Limerick, Ireland.
Pulse Contemporary Art Fair, New York.
Art Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
2005
Happy Holiday, Rubicon Gallery, Dublin. 2005
Bread Matters, West Cork Arts Centre, West Cork, Ireland.
The Eye of The Storm, The IMMA Collection, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin.
2004
Tir na nOg, new works from the I.M.M.A. Collection, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin.
Banquet Exhibition, RHA Gallagher Gallery, Dublin.
From a Collection – For a Collection, Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf.
In the time of Shaking, Irish Museum of Modern Art.
Art Brussels, Paris photo. Fiac Paris, Art Cologne.
2003
Paris Photo
Child in Time, The Gemeentemuseum, Helmond, The Netherlands.
Art Cologne, The Basel Art Forum.
2002
Lerse Kunst uit de Collectie van het Museum Modern Art Te Dublin, Stedelijk Museum, Belgium.
Stories, Haus der Kunst, Munich.
Paris Photo, Basel Art Forum, and Art Cologne.
2001
From the Poetic to the Political, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin.
“Zwischenraum # 4” Arbeiten mit Fotografie, Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf.
Basel Art Forum, Art Cologne.
2000
Series, Elke Dröscher Galerie, Hamburg.
Art Cologne, Basil Art Forum.
Der Monokulare Blick, Kunstverein Lingen, Lingen, Germany.
Zwischen – Raum, Galerie Seitz und Partner, Wielandstr, Berlin.
Zwischenraum # Editionen und Multiples, Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf.
Unschärferelation, Kunstverein Freiburg im Marienbad, Germany. Travelling tour to Kunstmuseum Heidenheim and Stadtgalerie Saarbrücken.
1999
Irish Art Now: From the Poetic to the Political, 1999 – 2001, travelling U.S. exhibition (organised by I.C.I. New York and I.M.M.A. Dublin)
Silent Presence: Contemporary Still-Life Photography, Staatliche Kunsthalle, Baden- Baden and Bielefelder Kunstvere, 2000.
The Challenge of Power, Limerick City Gallery, Limerick, November.
Berlin Art Forum, Basil Art Forum.
Perspective 99, Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast.
EV+A 99, Limerick City Gallery, Limerick.
Les Fleur du Mal, Galerie Seitz von Werder, Wielandstr.34, Berlin.
1998
EV+A 98, Limerick City Gallery, Limerick.
Art Forum Berlin.
Novisimos, Cortometrajes Mexicanos, Recientes en Cine y Video, Sala Luis Buñuel CCC/Centro Nacional de las Artes, Mexico, (a collaboration with Javier de la Garza).
Passport Exchange; (Ex) Change, National Polish Museum of Contemporary Art, Zacheta, Warsaw, Poland.
N.C.A.D. Postgraduate Show, Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery, Dublin, June.
1997
Passport Exchange, (Ex) Change, Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin.
Banquet Exhibition, RHA, Dublin
Figuration, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin.
1996
Waiting Spaces, Sheriff Street Post Office, site-specific work, Dublin.
Oriel Mostyn Open, Llandudno, Wales.
Iontas, Sligo, travelling to Dublin, Limerick and Derry.
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
The Arts Council of Ireland.
National Self-Portrait Collection, University College Limerick, Ireland.
Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland.
Office of Public Works, Ireland.
University College Limerick, Ireland.
The Caldic Collection, Rotterdam, Germany
The Museum of Modern Art Vienna, Austria.
European Central Bank, Frankfurt, Germany.
Goldman Sachs, London, UK.
Krehbiel Foundation, Chicago.
Private Collections, Europe and North America.