Micheál O’Connell/Mocksim: systems interference artist

Finding the absurd in everyday, often dysfunctional technologies and systems, and messing around with them, are key activities. There is a performative aspect to the interventions. Afterwards I exhibit photographic and video material, selected digital or physical readymades. Past work was presented or performed in established locations (like Matt’s Gallery and the Whitechapel, London and Crawford/CiT Wandesford Quay in Cork); an early series Contra-Invention had been part of Les Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie d’Arles and more; and I often work with artist-run, project and off-site spaces, as well as screening and sharing materials thoughtfully online. An Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon Commissions Award facilitated the production of new work for a solo exhibition, System Interference, at Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre in 2022, which then travelled to Wexford Arts Centre, and finally to Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda completing in February 2024. The tour, initiated by Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre was supported by an Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon Touring Award. Philosopher of aesthetics John Roberts, wrote a book which addresses the significance of this work in the context of technology art generally, entitled Art, Misuse and Technology: Micheál O'Connell's 'System Interference' (2022). He later consolidated certain arguments arising from this in talks and a paper on ‘unfitting’ listed below. I have held back from doing too much art activity since the 2022-2024 tour, but am getting stuck in again currently via a series experiments and tentative collaborations.

Old CV and portfolios: 2022, 2019, 2017, and 2014. Academic: profile/writing 

Sample writing about, interviews or references to the work:

01-Oct-24 Nordic Journal of Aesthetics 33 (67), John Roberts Unfitting: Art & Labour from Conceptualisation to AI

01-Oct-24 Bulletin article, Micheál O'Connell (own), The London Group, 'Car Parked'

01-Sep-23 Digital Art in Ireland: Reflections & Visuals UCC and Sample Studios publication

30-Nov-23 Newspaper article, Irish Independent, 'You can’t park there sir...'

06-Oct-23 Interview, Zoe Camper and Julie Samuels, Augmented Society Network (ASN) Exhibition

15-Aug-23 Interview, Jim Kealy, South East Radio, System Interference, Wexford Arts Centre

15-Aug-23 Newspaper article, Irish Independent, 'New art installation... divides opinion'

30-Apr-23 Computers and Culture, UCC, article, Micheál O'Connell (own), Systems Interference: new work

08-Jan-23 Interview for The London Group, Sandra Crisp, A Question of Process

18-Sep-22 Review, criticismism II, Mark Sheerin, System Interference

17-Sep-22 Gallery Discussion with Caroline Bassett, Stupidity, Dissent and the Machine

09-Sep-22 Book by John Roberts, Art, Misuse and Technology

20-Jul-22 Blog, West Cork Arts Centre, Micheál O'Connell (own), Mocksim at Uillinn

01-Jun-22 Presentation, Digital Art in Ireland, Micheál O'Connell (own), Systems Interference Art

17-Mar-22 Review/Interview, Ali O'Shea, Tilting at Windmills, Kara Hearn and Mocksim

06-Dec-21 Review (micro-blog), Gallery Dodo, Jon Carritt and Dan Palmer, Instagram post

02-Jul-21 Interview, Uillinn Podcast, Gavin Buckley, Systems Interference Art

12-Jun-21 Interview, University of Sussex symposium, Jason Price, 'Simupoems' call-out, talk, Q&A

22-Jan-21 Interview, Hereford College of the Arts, Daniel Pryde-Jarman, Talk, Q&A

01-Aug-20 Article, Visual Artists Ireland Newsletter, Chris Steenson, Have a great time. Cool! Grand.

17-May-20 Interview, Isolation exhibition talk Q&A, Darren Nisbett, Talk, Q&A

01-Jan-20 Article, Visual Artists Ireland Newsletter, Micheál O'Connell (own), Golf Courses as Wind Farms

21-Nov-19 Referenced, New Tactical Research, David Garcia, Beyond the Evidence

02-Oct-18 Referenced, Fifteen Questions music magazine, Daniel Hignell, Distant Animals

01-Feb-17 Referenced, Contra-Invention, Joan Fontcuberta, From Here On: Postphotography...

01-Jan-16 Referenced, Contra-Invention, Joan Fontcuberta, La furia de las imágenes 2nd edition

17-Oct-15 Proceedings, CHART Conference, Micheál O'Connell (own), Poetics of the Supply Chain

06-Jun-14 Review, Writing in Relation, Yvette Gresle, Missing You and three other initiatives

11-Sep-13 Reviews, various writers in response to prints, Yearly Print project

26-Mar-13 Publication, InterArtive, Special Issue #50 Art + Copyright, Contra-Invention

25-Oct-12 Interview, UCC Radio's Artbeat, Don O'Mahony, Mocksim at Boundary Work II

14-May-12 Review, criticismism II, Mark Sheerin, Trainofthoughts @ The Horse Hospital

30-Aug-11 Review, criticismism II, Mark Sheerin, Contra-Invention

01-Jul-11 Catalogue, C. Chéroux, J. Fontcuberta, E. Kessels, M. Parr, Joachim Schmid, From Here On

01-Apr-11 Accompanying Text, Time's Gold, Clément Chéroux, From Here On

16-May-11 Catalogue, Les Recontres Arles Photography and Link 2

10-Mar-08 Review, Huw Bartlett, Feed Lack Loop

02-Dec-07 a-n Review, Rachel Lois Chapman, Micheal O’Connell’s ‘There is a Failing Man’