Abigail O'Brien, PHRA, (born 1957 in Dublin, Ireland) is a contemporary Irish artist and the first female president of the

Royal Hibernian Academy The Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) is an artist-based and artist-oriented institution in Ireland, founded in Dublin in 1823. Like many other Irish institutions, such as the RIA, the academy retained the word "Royal" after most of Ireland became in ...

since its establishment in 1823. O'Brien's work explores themes such as ritual and rites of passage, and the domestic realm. O'Brien is best known for her multi-media installations featuring photography, video, sculpture, 3D printing, sound, inflatables, embroidery and handmade objects. O'Brien has received numerous awards and exhibits internationally. Her work is in private and public collections including

The Irish Museum of Modern Art The Irish Museum of Modern Art ( ga, Áras Nua-Ealaíne na hÉireann) also known as IMMA, is Ireland's leading national institution for the collection and presentation of modern and contemporary art. Located in Kilmainham, Dublin, the Museum pr ...

, Dublin, The Caldic Collection, Rotterdam, The Museum of Modern Art, Vienna, The Kuntsmuseum Den Haag, The Netherlands, The Kriegel Foundation New York. O’Brien lives and works in Ireland.

Early life and education

Born 1957 in Dublin, Ireland, one of four children, O'Brien began her career as an artist as a mature student receiving her education in Ireland's National College of Art and Design. Awarded Student of the Year, O'Brien achieved a BA in Fine Art in 1995 and was later awarded with an MA in Fine Art Painting from The National College of Art and Design, Dublin in 1998.

Career

O'Brien's work, "The Last Supper", from her series on the seven Catholic sacraments, was bought by the

Irish Museum of Modern Art The Irish Museum of Modern Art ( ga, Áras Nua-Ealaíne na hÉireann) also known as IMMA, is Ireland's leading national institution for the collection and presentation of modern and contemporary art. Located in Kilmainham, Dublin, the Museum pr ...

for its permanent collection in 1996, just a year after her graduation. Through much of her work, O'Brien observes perceived gender roles, ritual domesticity and the role of women in society. O'Brien is known for collections of work including ''With Bread'' (2013) which examines the role of bread in daily lives and ''The Seven Sacraments'' (1996–2004) is a series of works reflecting on the

Catholic Sacraments There are seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, which according to Catholic theology were instituted by Jesus and entrusted to the Church. Sacraments are visible rites seen as signs and efficacious channels of the grace of God to all those ...

. ''The Cardinal Virtues'' - ''Fortitude'' (2005), ''Temperance'' (2009), ''Prudence'' (2017) and ''Justice'' (2021) see O'Brien explore the

Cardinal Virtues The cardinal virtues are four virtues of mind and character in both classical philosophy and Christian theology. They are prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. They form a virtue theory of ethics. The term ''cardinal'' comes from the ...

through a contemporary lens. Other noted collections include ''The Silk Road Series'' (2015–2016), ''The Rag Tree Series'', ''Bella'' (2006–2007), ''Peter the Painter'' (2016), ''Love Tokens'' (2020), ''Airfix Days'' (2012), ''Salt Fields''. O'Brien's noted individual works include ''Natural Wax'' (1995–2017), ''Bonsai'', ''With Love Cologne'', ''India'', ''Four under Three'', ''Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner'', ''Sic Juro'' (2011). Collaborations include ''How to Butterfly a Leg of Lamb'' (video installation) and ''Black Sole Bonne Femme'', with artist Mary Mc Kenna, in 1999 and 2002 respectively. O'Brien has also participated in multiple group exhibitions internationally including in Germany, Austria, Belgium, US, Mexico, Poland, China and the UK.

Recognition and the RHA

O'Brien has won several awards for her work, including the Arts Council (Ireland) awards in 1996, 1997, 1998, 2014 and 2014, The Solomon Sculpture Prize 2008, Culture Ireland Exhibition Bursary in 2005 /2008, and the Cultural Relations Committee of Ireland Award 2003. O'Brien was first elected a Full Member of the

(RHA) in 2010, and elected as secretary of the academy from 2012 until 2017, the first time a female artist had held this position. She secured another "first" when elected as president of the academy for the 2018–2023 term. As RHA President, O’Brien is also an ex-officio Member of the Board of the

National Gallery of Ireland The National Gallery of Ireland ( ga, Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann) houses the national collection of Irish and European art. It is located in the centre of Dublin with one entrance on Merrion Square, beside Leinster House, and another on ...

and an honorary member of the

Royal Academy of Scotland The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) is the country’s national academy of art. It promotes contemporary Scottish art. The Academy was founded in 1826 by eleven artists meeting in Edinburgh. Originally named the Scottish Academy, it became the ...

In 2019, O'Brien received an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from the

National University of Ireland The National University of Ireland (NUI) ( ga, Ollscoil na hÉireann) is a federal university system of ''constituent universities'' (previously called ''university college, constituent colleges'') and ''recognised colleges'' set up under t ...

as well as the ''Woman of the Year Award'' for the Arts area from the Irish Tatler magazine. in recognition of her work in the arts in Ireland.

Personal life

O'Brien is a sister of businessman Denis O'Brien. She lives and works in

County Louth County Louth ( ; ga, An Lú) is a coastal county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of Meath to the south, Monaghan to the west, Armagh to the north and Down to the ...

, Ireland, and is married to Hugh Bradley, with, as of 2019, eight grandchildren.

Solo exhibitions

* 2017 Prudence And The Game Of Golf- RHA Ashford Gallery 17th November – 20th December *2013–2015 With Bread, – The Highlanes Gallery, The Dock, Carrick-On-Shannon, Limerick City Gallery, 2015. * 2012 Airfix Days, – The Peppercanister Gallery, Dublin, October 19 – November 10 * 2009–2011 Temperance – 2009, January 2011 – April 25th, 2011, RHA Foyer, Galerie Bugdahn Und Kaimer, Düsseldorf, Letterkenny Municipal Arts Centre, Co. Donegal, Ireland. * 2007- 2008 Bella – 2008, Galerie Bugdahn Und Kaimer, Düsseldorf. Rubicon Gallery, Dublin. * 2005 Fortitude – The John David Mooney Foundation, Chicago. * 2003 The Seven Sacraments, 1995 – 2004, Haus Der Kunst, Munich, Germany.The Kunstverein, Lingen, Germany. The R.H.A., Gallagher Gallery, Dublin, Centre Culture Irlandais, Paris. Gallerie Bugdahn Und Kaimer, Düsseldorf. * 2001 The Rag Tree Series, Rubicon Gallery, Dublin.Galerie Bugdahn Und Kaimer, Düsseldorf. * 2000 From The Ophelia Room – Extreme Unction, Galerie Bugdahn Und Kaimer, Düsseldorf. * 2000 From Baptism, The Sculpture Court, Edinburgh College Of Art, Edinburgh. * 1999 Kitchen Pieces – Confession And Communion, Galerie Stadtpark, Krems, Austria. * 1998 Kitchen Pieces – Confession and Communion, Galerie Bugdahn Und Kaimer, Düsseldorf. * 1996 Baptism, Old Museum, Belfast. Häagen Dazs/ Temple Bar Gallery Solo award, Dublin. * 1996 Man Eating Cream Bun Installation, Habitat, Dublin.

References

External links

* * Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) - https://imma.ie/artists/abigail-obrien/ * The Peppercanister Gallery http://www.peppercanister.com/abigail-obrien-biography * RTE https://www.rte.ie/culture/2019/0624/1057170-exhibitionists-abagail-obrien-on-why-the-rha-matters/ * Public Art.ie https://publicart.ie/main/directory/directory/view/oatfield-temperance/9f091a2b998cdf093cd018016c9ed88e/ {{DEFAULTSORT:OBrien, Abigail 1957 births Irish artists Irish contemporary artists Irish women artists Alumni of the National College of Art and Design Royal Hibernian Academy Living people