This website presents my practice-based PhD project
"Live Autobiography"
Autobiographical Live Performance works &
supporting theoretical texts
Please click
ARTWORK & EVENTS
from Menu bar to access performance work, writings and events
To view videos of my performance please click
www.Youtube.com/Aine Phillips
My dvd Live Autobiography is available for sale on Unbound online shop for Live Art books & DVDs at the Live Art Development Agency's website:
AinePhillips@Unbound
Each thumbnail image in ARTWORK & EVENTS acts as a folder containing images and text describing and analysing my series of performance works exploring self and autobiography.
The performances took place over the period of my research project, from 2006 - 2008 and were devised to extrapolate this theme.
Other folders contain information on my research process and the activities I undertook to explore and develop this topic -
I attended relevant seminars and conferences.
I looked at the work of other live and performance artists dealing with autobiography or representations of self.
I conducted a series of conversations and interviews with artists in New York and London examining this topic.
I curated an international festival of performance art on this subject.
ABSTRACT
This study seeks to answer the question 'what is autobiographical performance?' and shows 'how to do it' using a framework of theoretical perspectives and practical examples, including my own work. Theories provide a historical outline of autobiographical performance, cultural understandings of subjectivity and identity, a discussion on autobiography as an art form across disciplines (with a view to cross-comparisons with autobiographical performance) and detailed examples of prominent artists working in this genre alongside emerging artists whom I met and interviewed in New York, London and around Ireland. Through these analyses I show central characteristics of this genre, how and why artists seek to represent their lives, how to universalise subjective experience and how to make the personal political. I situate autobiographical performance within social and cultural worlds and make a plea for subjectively orientated live art that labours for developmental social and political change.
This project reconsiders the relevance of autobiography in (visual art) performance within a wider cultural context that has lately repositioned it at the centre of contemporary art practice (for example, Documenta 12 and the 52nd Venice Biennale 2007). My work reflects this current movement and offers a contribution to that discourse. The originality of this project lies in the tying together of discourses in an interwoven practical and theoretical way, bringing performance theory, curatorial and performance practice together and placing them onto a world wide web platform.
The practice includes a series of seven autobiographical performance works I created over the duration of this PhD project. The series is called 'Live Autobiography' and spans three years of work, exploring how I represent my life experience and attempt to make the singular mutual. This study shows the evolution of the works, analysing my approach and illuminating my methodology by producing a series of categories that elucidate autobiographical performance. I further clarify and consolidate these categories in my examination of another practical project: my curation of a festival of autobiographical performance, consisting of 8 international artists' works. I present the descriptions and evaluations of my work here in this text and present two DV disks containing visual documentation of the works (my own Live Autobiography series and the Tulca Live Performing Lives series). In conjunction, I have established a website for the dissemination of my project in text, image and streamed video so the project moves into the public domain, seeking to create communities of interest and to move the work from the realm of the personal to the universal.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This Doctoral submission has been supported by many individuals and institutions over the three years of its writing and performance. I would like to sincerely thank all those who provided creative, intellectual, financial, practical and personal support.
My primary supervisors for this PhD were Brian Maguire, Head of Fine Art, National College of Art and Design and Christa-Maria Lerm Hayes, Head of research Graduate School, University of Ulster. Additional supervisors were Pauline Cummins and Alanna O'Kelly, Lectures in Fine Art Sculpture, National College of Art and Design.
Institutions and organisations who supported my research were Gradcam, The Burren College of Art, County Clare and The Vocational Educational Committee County Clare. Tulca, Season of Visual Art in Galway supported my performance and curatorial practice. In association with Tulca, the estate of Allan Kaprow and LA MoCa for permission to re-enact Travelog in 2008. The Arts Council of Ireland and The Clare Arts Office financially supported certain individual projects and performances. The Second International Festival of Art/The Differences Warsaw, Poland, Damen_Wahl (Igor Pucker and Wolfgang Giegler) and Tanzquartier Vienna, Austria, ACTART and The Live Art Development Agency in London (especially Lois Keidan, Daniel Brine and Andrew Mitchelson), The National Review of Live Art in the UK, Glasgow, Off Beat at ART, Manchester, Exist 08, Brisbane Australia, Excursions Limerick, Live@No.8 Galway, Hotel Ballymun and The Hugh Lane, Dublin have variously commissioned, produced and presented my performances. Engage Artists Studios, Maeve Mulrennan and the Galway Arts Centre have supported this project in many ways.
Individuals who have provided invaluable assistance at various stages throughout this project are Mick Wilson, Gary Granville, Olwen Fouere, Frances Hegarty, Sally Timmons (Soapbox Sessions), Anne Seagrave, Nigel Rolfe, Tom Molloy, Philip Napier, Kevin Atherton and my fellow post graduate students at NCAD. Joe Comerford provided important help with video editing. The artists I interviewed in New York and London: Gearoid Dolan, Toni Silver, Vernita N'Cognita, Sarah Kipp, Andrea Cote, Jana Leo, Jeff McMahon, and in London, Robert Pacitti, Rajni Shah, Andrew Mitchelson, Richard Dedomenici and Sam Rose. The Tulca Live artists Michael Mayhew, Michelle Browne, Anna McLaughlin, Kathy Rose, Lisa-Marie Johnson, Aileen Lambert, Sarah Kipp and Jana Leo. Assistants to my performances and video works, without whom it would be impossible to make the work, were Helena Walsh, Kevin Biderman, Emma Houlihan, Tom Flanagan, Jim Ricks and Jane Talbot. Special thanks to my daughters Ceile and Emer Varley for co-performing in the Caravan series and to Tom Varley for constant practical support and encouragement.
Biography
Áine Phillips makes multi-media performance and live art in Ireland and internationally since the late 80's. She has created work for diverse contexts; the street, festivals, club events and exhibitions including The Kitchen New York, National Review of Live Art Glasgow, Exist 08 Brisbane, Tanzquartier Vienna, MOMA Cleveland. In Ireland at Irish Film Centre, Arthouse, EV+A and Hugh Lane Gallery.
For more information on my art work -
www.ainephillips.com
If you wish to read my Doctoral Study entitled 'Live Autobiography', please leave a message on this website requesting a copy and I will send it to you as a pdf document. Students and researchers are welcome to use references from my work, but please send me a copy of your work including my credited references, quotations or images (for my archives).
"Live Autobiography"
Autobiographical Live Performance works &
supporting theoretical texts
Please click
ARTWORK & EVENTS
from Menu bar to access performance work, writings and events
To view videos of my performance please click
www.Youtube.com/Aine Phillips
My dvd Live Autobiography is available for sale on Unbound online shop for Live Art books & DVDs at the Live Art Development Agency's website:
AinePhillips@Unbound
Each thumbnail image in ARTWORK & EVENTS acts as a folder containing images and text describing and analysing my series of performance works exploring self and autobiography.
The performances took place over the period of my research project, from 2006 - 2008 and were devised to extrapolate this theme.
Other folders contain information on my research process and the activities I undertook to explore and develop this topic -
I attended relevant seminars and conferences.
I looked at the work of other live and performance artists dealing with autobiography or representations of self.
I conducted a series of conversations and interviews with artists in New York and London examining this topic.
I curated an international festival of performance art on this subject.
ABSTRACT
This study seeks to answer the question 'what is autobiographical performance?' and shows 'how to do it' using a framework of theoretical perspectives and practical examples, including my own work. Theories provide a historical outline of autobiographical performance, cultural understandings of subjectivity and identity, a discussion on autobiography as an art form across disciplines (with a view to cross-comparisons with autobiographical performance) and detailed examples of prominent artists working in this genre alongside emerging artists whom I met and interviewed in New York, London and around Ireland. Through these analyses I show central characteristics of this genre, how and why artists seek to represent their lives, how to universalise subjective experience and how to make the personal political. I situate autobiographical performance within social and cultural worlds and make a plea for subjectively orientated live art that labours for developmental social and political change.
This project reconsiders the relevance of autobiography in (visual art) performance within a wider cultural context that has lately repositioned it at the centre of contemporary art practice (for example, Documenta 12 and the 52nd Venice Biennale 2007). My work reflects this current movement and offers a contribution to that discourse. The originality of this project lies in the tying together of discourses in an interwoven practical and theoretical way, bringing performance theory, curatorial and performance practice together and placing them onto a world wide web platform.
The practice includes a series of seven autobiographical performance works I created over the duration of this PhD project. The series is called 'Live Autobiography' and spans three years of work, exploring how I represent my life experience and attempt to make the singular mutual. This study shows the evolution of the works, analysing my approach and illuminating my methodology by producing a series of categories that elucidate autobiographical performance. I further clarify and consolidate these categories in my examination of another practical project: my curation of a festival of autobiographical performance, consisting of 8 international artists' works. I present the descriptions and evaluations of my work here in this text and present two DV disks containing visual documentation of the works (my own Live Autobiography series and the Tulca Live Performing Lives series). In conjunction, I have established a website for the dissemination of my project in text, image and streamed video so the project moves into the public domain, seeking to create communities of interest and to move the work from the realm of the personal to the universal.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This Doctoral submission has been supported by many individuals and institutions over the three years of its writing and performance. I would like to sincerely thank all those who provided creative, intellectual, financial, practical and personal support.
My primary supervisors for this PhD were Brian Maguire, Head of Fine Art, National College of Art and Design and Christa-Maria Lerm Hayes, Head of research Graduate School, University of Ulster. Additional supervisors were Pauline Cummins and Alanna O'Kelly, Lectures in Fine Art Sculpture, National College of Art and Design.
Institutions and organisations who supported my research were Gradcam, The Burren College of Art, County Clare and The Vocational Educational Committee County Clare. Tulca, Season of Visual Art in Galway supported my performance and curatorial practice. In association with Tulca, the estate of Allan Kaprow and LA MoCa for permission to re-enact Travelog in 2008. The Arts Council of Ireland and The Clare Arts Office financially supported certain individual projects and performances. The Second International Festival of Art/The Differences Warsaw, Poland, Damen_Wahl (Igor Pucker and Wolfgang Giegler) and Tanzquartier Vienna, Austria, ACTART and The Live Art Development Agency in London (especially Lois Keidan, Daniel Brine and Andrew Mitchelson), The National Review of Live Art in the UK, Glasgow, Off Beat at ART, Manchester, Exist 08, Brisbane Australia, Excursions Limerick, Live@No.8 Galway, Hotel Ballymun and The Hugh Lane, Dublin have variously commissioned, produced and presented my performances. Engage Artists Studios, Maeve Mulrennan and the Galway Arts Centre have supported this project in many ways.
Individuals who have provided invaluable assistance at various stages throughout this project are Mick Wilson, Gary Granville, Olwen Fouere, Frances Hegarty, Sally Timmons (Soapbox Sessions), Anne Seagrave, Nigel Rolfe, Tom Molloy, Philip Napier, Kevin Atherton and my fellow post graduate students at NCAD. Joe Comerford provided important help with video editing. The artists I interviewed in New York and London: Gearoid Dolan, Toni Silver, Vernita N'Cognita, Sarah Kipp, Andrea Cote, Jana Leo, Jeff McMahon, and in London, Robert Pacitti, Rajni Shah, Andrew Mitchelson, Richard Dedomenici and Sam Rose. The Tulca Live artists Michael Mayhew, Michelle Browne, Anna McLaughlin, Kathy Rose, Lisa-Marie Johnson, Aileen Lambert, Sarah Kipp and Jana Leo. Assistants to my performances and video works, without whom it would be impossible to make the work, were Helena Walsh, Kevin Biderman, Emma Houlihan, Tom Flanagan, Jim Ricks and Jane Talbot. Special thanks to my daughters Ceile and Emer Varley for co-performing in the Caravan series and to Tom Varley for constant practical support and encouragement.
Biography
Áine Phillips makes multi-media performance and live art in Ireland and internationally since the late 80's. She has created work for diverse contexts; the street, festivals, club events and exhibitions including The Kitchen New York, National Review of Live Art Glasgow, Exist 08 Brisbane, Tanzquartier Vienna, MOMA Cleveland. In Ireland at Irish Film Centre, Arthouse, EV+A and Hugh Lane Gallery.
For more information on my art work -
www.ainephillips.com
If you wish to read my Doctoral Study entitled 'Live Autobiography', please leave a message on this website requesting a copy and I will send it to you as a pdf document. Students and researchers are welcome to use references from my work, but please send me a copy of your work including my credited references, quotations or images (for my archives).
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