Katie O'Brien
Brief bio
I moved to London from the west of
Ireland when I was five, since then through one way or another I have been
performing to classrooms, peers, strangers and sometimes paying audiences.
Whilst
at university I found my niche was in creating characters and performances that
mocked, spoofed and relayed topical or taboo subjects.
More
recently I have been experimenting with stereotypical identities. I often use
humour as a means to engage with people about the created identities we all
have. The performance group I started (The
Muffia) focuses on the projected female identities from the media. I have
since also been exploring combining identities and stereotypes to create
surreal characters. I am also sculptor and video artist in the process of
developing an installation to be exhibited.
2011 'Generation Revolt' Documentation of work by The Muffia
Slideshow about acts of empowerment by women at Santos Party House, New York,
USA
2010
Solo performances using a mining clown
character exploring its sexual relationship with a toy cow.
Women in Prison - Part-time volunteer
The Bareback Banshees - Co-wrote and performed a
comedy drama at Edinburgh Fringe, received a 4 star review.
UK Feminista - Arts Editor Blog profiling
and reviewing female artists, writers and musicians.
The Muffia - 'What do you yearn for, what do you earn for?'
Hazard festival, Manchester.
Performed on the streets of the city centre and handed out mini hand written
letters asking questions.
The Muffia - 'I want for myself what I want for all other women
absolute Equality' Agnes Macphail
I organized a guerilla
activity at the Millennium Bridge and Tate Modern. I invited the public to
participate in to create the above quote each holding a word. We did this in
various locations to celebrate and remind people of International Women's Day.
The Muffia - Performed a version of 'Tight Women' at the Women's library
This was the launch
event for UK Feminista.
The Joke Shop - Started a monthly comedy
variety night.
The Muffia - 'Heteronormativity' Queen Mary University
Presentation at a
long table forum event about The Muffia's response to identity in mainstream
culture.
2009
The Muffia - We
also wrote a satirical chat show called 'Tight Women' that we previewed at
theatres and took to the Edinburgh fringe in 2009.
The
Muffia performed regularly on the comedy and cabaret circuit in London and
Manchester for most of 2009. (Including GayShame, Vauderville, Ladyfest, Bethnal
Green working man club)
The Muffia - 'Global Resistance'
Filmed
for a France 4 TV documentary.
Solo comedy - began
experimenting with comedy on the open mic circuit.
Stacy Makishi writing workshop, greenroom Manchester.
2008
The Muffia
I created
a performance group with Manchester based artist Sinead King. We worked for two
years on issues of sexuality, gender constructs and identity. We mainly produced
performances, political interventions and comedy on the streets of London and
Manchester. http://www.TheMuffia.co.uk
Performance Inspector - Site specific performance
for an event curated by Switch
This was a character
I created as a result being lead in three workshops by Switch for my site | in space 3 at Battersea Barge. I
used several techniques to get people involved as suspects such as
interrogation and treating the event as a crime scene.
Love Music Hate Britain - Guerrilla intervention at Love
Music Hate Racism in Victoria Park
I
attended this event dressed as a Muslim terrorist with racist terms stuck all
over my costume.
I
interviewed several people engaging with them about ideas of tradition, racism
and what it means to be British.
Goat Island workshop, Siobhan Davies Studios, London
People Show studios - Artist Studio placement and
part-time work.
La Pocha Nostra - Winter
School, Tramway, Glasgow
This
was a seven-day course lead by the innovative and political performance group
from California.
This
experience has enriched my performance strategies and production methodologies
for my ideas. Guillermo Gomez Pena and Roberto Sifuentes have had a profound
effect on my connection with cultural related topics using performance, space
and the body as the political.
2007
Gary Stevens Performance LAB
I
attended the workshops and talks that Gary facilitated to enhance my techniques
in structuring my performances.
The Artist
Way
I
facilitated a group whilst also doing the 12-week artist discovery course set
out by author Julia Cameron.
I.Died.Because.I.Didn't
Eat part II (1 hour) Solo performance
Guerrilla
Performance outside Topshop on the corner of Oxford Circus, London.
I
made my self sick in protest to the images of anorexic models in the shop
windows.
I.D.B.I.D.E part I (1 hour) Solo performance
Guerrilla
performance outside Topshop on The Strand, London.
I
lay still for an hour with a white chalk outline around my body.
Circus Skills - City Lit
I
did a four-day course lead by the street performer Andy Chrissie learning fire
eating, juggling, stilt walking, tight rope walking, unicycling, poi, balance
and clowning around.
Free diving - Tribe, London
I
was inspired by ten minutes of documentary I saw with Tanya Streeter diving
with whales. I learnt some of the basics of free diving and the practice of
apnea.
Introduction to Acting -
City Lit
I enrolled on this course to gain more skills and techniques for my performance practice.
Jive Beginners &
Advanced - Maddy's Jive School
This
was an exhilarating experience. I attended this dance class weekly for several
months.
Introduction to Dance - City
Lit
I
wanted to explore movement and develop my coordination.
2006
Worked
full time as a Manger.
Travelled
to China and the Philippines.
2005
Actual Love - Bush Hall and
The Rudolf Steiner Theatre, London
Producer, Performer and Wardrobe - I formed a theatre group for a fundraising
event on Valentine's Day for two consecutive years.
Glam Rock -
Stylist and Wardrobe
I assisted in styling a catwalk show in aid of Breast
Cancer Research with an accessory range I manufactured.
2004 Attended
'Everything
you wanted to Know about Live Art but were afraid to ask' -
www.thisisliveart.co.uk
Spit-Lit Festival - The Brady Arts Centre (National women's week)
This was a writing and performance workshop
facilitated by Stacey Makishi and Aoife Mannix.
At the end of the workshop we performed our ideas at
The Spitz.
I did a five minute biography of the different
stages in my life.
2003
Something
about us - Screening at the Curzon
cinema Soho
I
exhibited a video in a group show. I also assisted in the entry selection process
and organising the event.
Education
2000-2003 Fine
Art BA Middlesex
University
1999-2000 Art
& Design Foundation Diploma Chelsea
College of Art
1997-1999 Art
& Design GNVQ Advanced St.
Charles Sixth Form College