The self-referential nature of my work utilizes symbolism and figuration in unconventional ways and speaks of the complexities of existence, time and mortality. I am influenced by the quiet profundity of my surroundings, the nuances of solitude and the human condition. I am motivated by my own bodily experience stemming from ideas around the female gaze and selected feminist theories. My work challenges traditional portraiture as it omits the face. The self is often presented in partial view. I explore identity beyond mere physical representation.
Solo Exhibitions:
Seen and Unseen, The Lido Stores, Margate, UK, 2024
HomeBird, Kevin kavanagh Galleries, Dublin, 2024.https://www.kevinkavanagh.ie/exhibitions/198-olivia-o-dwyer-homebird/overview/
A Mind's eye at Kevin Kavanagh Galleries, Dublin, October 2022.
https://www.kevinkavanagh.ie/viewing-room/21-olivia-o-dwyer-a-mind-s-eye/
'Lockdown Diaries', Wexford Arts Centre, 2021.
'Recurrence' Creative Hub Studios, Wexford, 2019.
Selected Exhibitions:
Magic and Loss, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin, 2024
New Neighbours, 2 person show at South Tipperary Arts Centre, 2024
RHA annual, Dublin, 2024
2023,The Lido Stores Open, Margate, UK
2023, RuaRed, Spring exhibition, Dublin.
2022, Cairde Visual, Hamilton Gallery Sligo.
2022, Beep Painting Biennial, Swansea Wales
2022, Summer Open, Courthouse Gallery Clare.
21/22, Hambly and Hambly, Fermanagh.
21/22, Winter Open. Courthouse Gallery, Clare.
21/22, Open Call, Dunamaise Arts Centre,
21/22, ArtForm, 44 The Quay, Waterford
2021, Meet, Peripheries Space, Gorey.
2021, Painting of the Day, Contemporary British Painting, @paintbritain, Instagram.
2021, Invited artist, HANDS project, in association with IMMA.
2021, featured artist ICE gallery, Instagram.
2020, Composition as a construct, BOS Gallery, Dublin.
2019 'From the Mountain' with Selected works from the Arts Council Collection of Ireland, Wexford Arts Centre & Wexford County Council.
2018, exhibition and residency funded by Culture Ireland, in association with Wexford Arts Centre,
Siddhartha Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal.
2018 Vital Material, Creative Hub Studios, curated by Mary Ruth Walsh, Wexford.
2018 Invited artist, All 'Opera, Cultural exchange exhibition, Velletri, Italy.
2018 ’Between the Sea and the Sky’, Two person show, Ranelagh Arts Centre, Dublin.
2017 Wexford Opera Festival, supported by Wexford Co. Council Arts Department.
2017 ‘Last Month's Rent’ Invited artist, with Limerick School of Art and Design, Sailors Home, Limerick.
2017 Cairde Arts Festival, The Model, Sligo.
2017 Kfest Arts Festival, Killorglin, Kerry.
2016 Galway International Arts Festival, Galway.
2016 'Stranger than Fact’ (Curator and exhibitor), Wexford Opera Festival.
2016 ‘Insert Title Here’ (Curator and exhibitor) The Pigyard Gallery, Wexford.
Awards
Artlinks, Visual Arts Bursary, 2025
Awarded Lido Stores solo exhibition , Margate, UK, August 24.
Visual Arts Bursary, Arts Council of Ireland, 2023
Agility award, Arts Council of Ireland, 2022
Making and Momentum artist prize ( In conversation with Eileen Gray) funded by Richard Malone.
Wexford Co. Council Residency Award at Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Co.Monaghan, 2023
Artist Correspondence course, Peripheries, Gorey ,2021
Artlinks professional development Bursary, 20/22/23
Living Arts Project with Wexford Arts Centre and Wexford Co.Council, 2022 and 2016.
Artist in residence, 19/20, Creative Hub Studios, Wexford.
Residencies:
Studio residency, BlackBird Cultur-Lab, Co. Wexford 2025
Upcoming residency with Uillinn Arts Centre, West Cork.
SIM residency Reykjavik, Iceland, November 2024.
Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Co. Monaghan, September 2024, featuring an artist talk with Neva Elliott.
Tyrone Guthrie, April and November 2023
Exhibition and residency with The Lido Stores Gallery, Margate UK, 2024.
Exhibition and residency in Kathmandu, 2018 with Culture Ireland
Reviews/Publications
RTE.IE, feature on New Neighbours, STAC
Review and front cover of Critique section, Visual Artist News Sheet
Sunday TImes and To view section Sunday Independent, 2024
Feature in 'What Lies Beneath' Sunday Independent by Niall MacMonagle
Commissioned writer Visual Artist Ireland news sheet, 2022.
Text by Cristin Leach, A Mind's Eye, 2022
Text by Neva Elliott, New Neighbours and HomeBird, 2024
Independent.ie 'Recurrence' solo show.
Public Collections:
EU Ambassador, Head Office, Kathmandu, Nepal
Suzhou International school, Suzhou, China.
Wexford Arts Centre, permanent art collection
Work is held in many private collections.
'Last Month's Rent', Limerick 2017.