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About Olivia Hassett

Biography

  

Olivia Hassett is a Dublin-based artist who creates live works, sculptures, and immersive installations. In 2012 she graduated with a Master’s in fine art Sculpture from NCAD.


From a young age her fascination with science and more specifically human biology was fostered by her mother who was a biology teacher. Working as an artist in residence in Tallaght University Hospital and collaborating with scientists in Trinity College Dublin over the past number of years has created a vibrant and exciting framework for her exploration of notions pertaining to the female medical body.  


Her interest in the microscopic workings of the human body and how the various individual organs and systems converge to create unique human bodies is mirrored in her live works. The relationship between her body, the sculptural elements, and the ‘fabric’ of the spaces she performs in are sites of contestation. The improvised live works push and pull across the shifting boundaries between strength/ fragility, inside/ outside and the public/ private body.


Olivia Hassett was awarded two Community Health Initiative Scheme awards for work with The Alzheimer Society of Ireland. She was part of an interdisciplinary collaborative team that was funded by TCD to research and develop two high profile projects and exhibitions inspired by a selection of trees on their campus.



Artists Statement

  

The exploration of material and colour are hugely important elements in my practice. Like a scientist, I will experiment with the physicality of each material and object that I am drawn to. I will return again and again to explore its strengths, limitations and how it might transform in relation to its environment, my performing body, or other materials. 


Using brightly coloured man-made materials alongside reappropriated medical elements I explore the complex relationships we have with our visceral body. Often, we fear and disassociate from this complex body hoping that all the different organs and systems will keep working together and not succumb to fragility or illness. 


Over the years I have engaged and reengaged with the notion of human skin as a porous liminal boundary that wraps around the body holding it all together. More recently my explorations have focused on the idea of the fragility of the human body under pressure. Brittle, hollow, bones split and fracture needing to be held together and supported. My art works seek to repair, reconnect, and rebuild a new provisional whole, one that recognises the beauty in our lived bodily experience, sunspots, scars, traumas, and all.



Curriculum vitae

 Education


  • 2010-2012  Masters of Fine Art Sculpture, NCAD, Dublin 
  • 1996-1997  Diploma in Advertising Management, DIT, Aungier Street
  • 1992-1995  Batchelor of Fine Art Sculpture, NCAD, Dublin 



Employment


  • 2018-to date Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin (TUH), Artist in Residence
  • 2022  Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, Artist in Residence, Tymon North
  • 2014-2020 Trinity College Dublin, Artist in Residence, Engineering Department
  • 2007-2009  The Fenton Gallery, Cork – Gallery Assistant
  • 1998-2006  The Solomon Gallery, Dublin – Gallery Assistant



Collaborative performance group memberships


  • 2014 to date  Bbeyond, Belfast. Member of collaborative performance art group
  • 2022  BodyJam. Monthly performance art jam-sessions in Unit 44, Dublin
  • 2013-2015  pre form. Founder member of collaborative performance art group  



Awards/ Residencies


  • 2022-24. Funded by The Meath Foundation, Dublin.  Curiosity, Artist in residency award and project.  Two-year residency in Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin. Funded to research and develop a project and body of sculpture and live artworks to be sited in the hospital.


  • 2022.  Funded by Tipperary Arts Office, The Arts Council of Ireland and Deej Fabyc.  Compression and Oppression residency award. Three-week residency in Milford House. Funded to research and develop new body of performative works. 


  • 2019/20. Funded by The Arts Council of Ireland, managed by CREATE.  Research and Development with mentoring Award. (Mentor Marie Brett).  Funded to explore the possibility of developing an art project with clients, carers and staff in Rose Cottage Dementia daycare center, Dublin.


  • 2019 & 2020. Funded by the Adelaide Health Foundation, Tallaght University Hospital. Community Health Initiative Scheme Award. Funding for Olivia Hassett to research co-creation and develop a series of co-creation workshops with clients in Rose Cottage Alzheimer's Society of Ireland (ASI) Dementia daycare center. Also funded in 2020 to create a series of Dementia friendly art packs for ASI clients. Project blog. 


  • 2017 & 2019. Funded by Trinity College Dublin (TCD) .  Trinity College Trees interdisciplinary collaboration. Olivia Hassett with Professor David Taylor, David Hackett and staff in the TCD microscopic labs. Two projects funded by TCD 2017 & 2019. Outputs: scientific and aboreal research, indoor and outdoor exhibitions. Project blog.


  • 2018-to date. Artist in Residence Tallaght University Hospital, general wards 


  • 2014-2020. Inaugural Artist in Residence/ Adjunct Assistant Professor, Trinity College  Dublin, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Department


  • 2014. Artist Bursary, South Dublin County Council. Art, science, & medicine project


  • 2014.  Three-month residencydeAppendix, Dublin in a working GP's surgery


  • 2013. Business to Arts Award short-listed for deAppendix & residency project


  • 2013.  Incubation award (pre form) at the LAB, Dublin 


  • 2013/14. Sponsored working space (pre form) RUA RED, South Dublin Arts Centre


  • 2008.  Mentoring award Sculpture Society of Ireland



Solo Art Exhibitions 2014 to date:


  • 2019.  Embrittled | Resilient, outdoor & indoor exhibitions, TCD


  • 2017.  Trinity College Trees Exhibition, eight outdoor installations, TCD 


  • 2015.  Endo/ Exo Joint exhibition with Prof. Taylor, Engineering Dept. TCD


  • 2014.  In Between Immersive Installation, deAppendix, Dublin. Part of residency.


  • 2014. Somatic reassemblage, immersive Installation, McKenna Gallery, Riverbank  Arts Centre, Newbridge


  • 2014.  The Process Room, mind map of artists practice, Children's Gallery, Riverbank  Arts Centre, Newbridge



Solo Art Performances 2014 to date: 


  • 2022. Mesh, solo performance, part of Interruption, Mart, Dublin. Selected and funded by Livestock


  • 2022. Brittle, solo performance atConvergence, Milford House, July 2022. Selected and funded by Live art Ireland and Bbeyond


  • 2021. A safe place, online performance, Bealtaine Festival, curated by Livestock


  • 2019. The Oregon Maple @ the Parsons Building, Trinity College Dublin


  • 2018. Livestock@Mart, Mart Gallery, Dublin


  • 2017. Keep it Lively, Livestock at Black Box, Belfast


  • 2017. The Oregon Maple, two performative responses in TCD


  • 2016. Cumulative Sampling, Sept 15th- 18th, To Follow the Water, curator Anne Mullee. 


  • 2015.  PAB – Performance Art Festival, Bergen, Norway, September


  • 2015. Endo Exo - Engineering Department, Trinity College Dublin, September


  • 2015. Screened – Feminism and the Body in Performance, curator Katherine Nolan


  • 2014. Between You and Me Part I - Gallery 1, RUA RED, part of ON THE SPOT.,


  • 2014. Between You and Me Part II - deAppendix, Dublin, part of residency.


  • 2014. Between You and Me Part III - What is the body for? Curator Katherine Nolan 



Group Exhibitions/ Projects 2014 to date:


  • 2022. Falling in Love Outward Plus, Interface Gallery, curated by Alannah Robins.


  • 2019. Make your Mark, collaborative project with patients and staff of Tallaght University Hospital, project leader and curator Olivia Hassett


  • 2017. Winter Open, group exhibition, RUA RED, curated by Maolíosa Boyle and Jennie Guy.


  • 2017. Standard, group exhibition and commission catalogue, ArtBox, curated by Davey Moor


  • 2016. Winter Open, RUA RED, Dublin, November 5th to December 24th, 2016


  • 2016. To Follow The Water, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin, Curated by Anne Mullee, artists: Olivia Hassett, Mary-Jo Gilligan, David Fagan and Ciara McKeon


  • 2014.  Underline, Occupy Space, Limerick. Group exhibition with Elaine Leader, Seamus  McCormack,  Janine Davidson, Tanya O'Keeffe and Francis Wasser


  • 2014. Penumbra, TACTIC Gallery, Cork. Group exhibition with Elaine Leader, Seamus  McCormack,  Janine Davidson, Tanya O'Keeffe and Francis Wasser



Collaborative performances: 2013 to date:


  • 2014-22. Bbeyond improvised group collaborative performances, Belfast/ Dublin 


  • 2015. Personal Rituals for Postmodern Times, Ulster Museum, Belfast


  • 2014.  ON THE SPOT. pre form collaborative performance with Sinead O'Donnell, Dominic  Thorpe and Francis Mezzetti


  • 2014. Between Us, pre form performance in Glass Box, the LAB, incubation award


  • 2013. Culture Night performance pre form, September, RUA RED, Dublin


  • 2013. Beaker - pre form group improvisational performance, Mill Street, Dublin.


  • 2013. Siteation, curated by UNIT1, Dublin. pre form. January 29th 



Collections


  • Nissan Ireland - Solomon Gallery - St. James Hospital - Various private collections



Lectures/ Symposia/ workshops


  • 2022. Residency in Milford House - work in progress presentation, event by Live Ireland for Culture night


  • 2022. Presentation, part of Festschrift for Professor David Taylor, TCD


  • 2022. Presentation to the Arts and Health committee, TUH


  • 2019 & 22. Presentation and workshop with medical students, TUH


  • 2018. Pimp my Zimmer, patient collaboration, part of positive Ageing Week, TUH


  • 2016-2018. Six workshops for children aged 4-12,yearly in RUA RED


  • 2017. Presentation to medical staff, TUH


  • 2014. Artist talk with Prof. Taylor and Tina Kinsella, part of deAppendix residency


  • 2013. National Drawing Day workshop, initiated with Chloe Brennan and Siobhan Carroll, NCAD Creative Campus Project, RUA RED, Dublin


  • 2012. Postgraduate Symposium, National College of Art and Design


  • 2011. Pecha Kucha presentation, Dialogue Arts and Health


  • 2008.  Artists Talk, Backwater Studios, Cork



Books/ articles/ blogs/ interviews:


  • 2022. Where science and art meet, Perspectives on the mechanics of fracture and biological materials, Essays in honour of Professor David Taylor, TCD. 


  • 2019/20. Co-creation in the Community, Art and Dementia blog– outlining co-creation  research, workshop development, project outcomes and imagery.  https://cocreatinginthecommunitydementia.art.blog/


  • 2019.  Interview on Mooney goes Wild, Radio 1, April 8th 2019, Terry Flanagan talked   to the TCD Team about the works in the embrittled | resilient exhibition


  • 2016-18. Trinity College Trees blog – outlining art and scientific research, conservation  and the use of innovative materials and technology for both tree projects.   https://trinitycollegetrees.wordpress.com/


  • 2017.  Interview on Mooney goes Wild, Radio 1, 5th November 2017. Eanna ni Lamhna learns how the Trinity Trees project is revealing microscopic 


  • 2017. Six conversations about flags, part of Standard exhibition, curator Davey Moor


  • 2014. Underline, exhibition essay by Aine Phillips


  • 2014. Penumbra, essay written by Ann Mullee in response to Penumbra exhibition in  the Tactic Gallery Cork


  • 2013. Anamorph, self-published book in response to solo exhibition in the Garter Lane  Gallery, Waterford, July to September 2013


  • 2013. Form(less), essay written by Darren Campion in response to solo exhibition in  the Garter Lane Gallery, Waterford, 2013


  • 2012. ...after the fact, article written by Barry Kehoe in response to the NCAD  Postgraduate exhibition in Steambox, Dublin 2012


  • 2008. Biomorph, self-published book in response to exhibition in Backwater Studios, Cork

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