What is my work about?
My work is based in etiquette, formality, surface, and deference. With these guiding principles in mind, I employ a variety of media according to context. Emily Post famously stated: “Manners are like primary colors, there are certain rules and once you have these you merely mix, i.e., adapt, them to meet changing situations.” If I have found painting my most frequent recourse, for its esteemed history of many rules, when it comes to sticking to painting, Post is invaluable on the perils of rigidity and inflexibility: “Unconsciousness of self is not so much unselfishness as it is the mental ability to extinguish all thought of one?s self ? exactly as one turns out the light.”
Artist Statement
One day I couldn’t remember exactly the formulation of that joke: How did the chicken walk to the other side of the road? Why did the chicken walk to the other side of the road? Why did the chicken walk across the road? How did the chicken cross the road? Why did the chicken cross the road?
English is my primary language. There are two questions here, one scientific, the other philosophical. The other formulations I could rule out, they clearly wouldn’t have any subtlety to them (when, where, what), and the joke, I recalled, is already the most boring ever.
CV
EDUCATION
2006 The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Master in Fine Arts, Chicago, Illinois
2000 Harvard University, BA cum laude in the History of Art and Architecture, Cambridge, Massachusetts
AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES
Artist-in-Residence, Summer Painting Institute, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2013)
Starr Fellowship, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK (2007 to 2008)
Presidential Merit Scholarship, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2004 to 2006)
Edward L. Ryerson Fellowship, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, for distinguished Post-Baccalaureate
thesis exhibition (May 2004)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2010
Whatever happened, Five Years, London
2009
Stranger, Julius Caesar, Chicago
2008
Small and Short Works, Royal Academy of the Arts, London
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2014
Revolver II, Matt’s Gallery, London, curated by Michael Newman and Robin Klassnik
Sensitive Instruments, Corbett vs. Dempsey, Chicago, curated by Molly Zuckerman-Hartung
Making Space, Zolla Lieberman, Chicago, curated by Susanne Doremus
2013
Whisper Down the Lane, Gallery 400, University of Illinois at Chicago
2012
Michelle Grabner: The Inova Survey, INOVA, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Venice Beach Biennial, in conjunction with Made in LA 2012, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, curated by Kate Brown and Monique van Genderen
Can’t Stop Rock Lobster, Shoot the Lobster, Martos Gallery, New York, curated by Nathan Gwynne and Andrea Merkx
2011
Poor Farm Summer Show, Poor Farm, Little Wolf, Wisconsin
Why is this Here?, 224 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, curated with Jenny Salomon
2009
Then and Now, The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, New York, selected by Kay Rosen
Artists Run Chicago, Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, selected by Michelle Grabner to represent The Suburban
2008
A4, Five Years, London
The Magnificent 7, Rua Pinheiro Chagas 68, Lisbon, curated by Paulo Catrica
Institutionalized, Goodenough College, London, curated by Katherine E. Bash
2006
Moreover: Practicing Painting+Abstraction, Beverly Art Center, Chicago, curated by Michelle Grabner
Slowness, Heaven Gallery, Chicago, curated by James Kao and Jason Karolak
Balls Out, 518 East Erie Street, Milwaukee, curated by Christian Rieben
2005
Edit, 1926 Gallery, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
SELECTED WRITINGS AND ARTIST’S BOOKS
2014 Something in the Air 2, artist’s book, open edition
2013 A–Z, collaborative artists’ book by Cynthia Daignault, Mark Loiacono, Deirdre O’Dwyer, Alan Reid, Rory
Solomon, and Elizabeth Spackman, curated by Cynthia Daignault in conjunction with Lisa Cooley, NY
2013 The Selected Fall of the House of Usher, artist’s book, open edition
2010 Whatever happened, artist’s book, edition of 100
2005 Out damned spot, artist’s book, unique object
WEBSITE
www.firewithoutheat.com
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2013 Claudine Ise, “A new style of art communication” (review of Whisper Down the Lane, Gallery 400, Chicago)
Chicago Tribune, July 31, 2013
2010 Emanuele Lugli, “A Coffee with Deirdre O’Dwyer,” Vogue Italia, http://www.vogue.it/en/people-are-talkingabout/from-london/2010/06/a-coffee-with-deirdre-o-dwyer
2009 Kathryn Scanlon, “Deirdre O’Dwyer/Julius Caesar”, New City Art, http://art.newcity.com/2009/05/18/reviewdeirdre-o%E2%80%99dwyerjulius-caesar/
2005 Terry Myers, “Time is on Our Side,” Slowness, exhibition catalog, Heaven Gallery, Chicago