As a LGBT supporter
myself, I found that her art and lecture was quite amazing. She
didn't focus on art that aimed toward the LGBT community, but knowing
her background towards it made her much more appealing. She is a
performance artist who is very odd but creative.
 |
| Genevieve Erin O'Brien performing |
O'Brien explained
through her lecture that she got involved in performance through a
lot of different workshops and all finding her own voice through all
these workshops, which she greatly recommends. Her mediums included
working with social networks, television and different technology
uses to create messages for people around the world.
A few different
performances were inspired texts. One performance in particular
really stuck out to me which was called Peace Salon. This was a
spontaneous act to shave off her hair, but had strong reasons behind
it. She was going to perform head shavings in an art gallery, but due
to complications she was forced to leave. Instead she decided to do
it on the street. Shave your head for peace! This performance seemed
to be very successful and meaningful, especially to the community she
was currently in. Personally, I would not partake in this, but it
would have been fun to watch all these people give up their hair.
 |
| O'Brien performing Peace Salon |
Another piece
that was creative, was GEO work. This piece was probably my favorite
that she showed because it was so powerful and really viewers aware
of a specific topic. The idea behind it was specifically service
work. During her own show, she dressed as a worker in the art
gallery. She performed minimum wage work while leaving traces of her
shoe prints around the gallery. It would have been interesting to see
peoples reactions and the floor once it was covered with where she
had been the whole time. She also explained that one time she washed
the whole floor of a gallery on her hands and knees. Pretty
impressive and exhausting.
Another thing I liked
about her work was that she included her family in some of the
pieces, including her moms ability to cook with her dads line of work
in factories. She created a whole factory made out of cake. This too
seemed really symbolic and had much meaning seeing as though she
connected her, her mom and her dad through her work.
I didn't really
see pieces that were too confusing to me. Most all of her work was
interesting and meaningful. I would like to see more pieces from
here, especially pieces that really connect with the LGBT community.
That would be cool.
