Visual and socially engaged artist Rhona Byrne, based in Dublin, works across performative and social sculpture, making sculptural spaces, installations, relational objects, drawing, video and photography. Often responding to a site or context, her practise is connective, with a collaborative and cross-disciplinary approach. Her projects are ongoing explorations into the complex multi-dimensionality of physical and social space and the unstable emotional conditions of place and affect. Her works invite a spatial embodied and connective experience and an inquiry into the material world.
She graduated with a BFA Sculpture NCAD in 1994. Rhona has exhibited and has been commissioned extensively in Ireland and internationally and has been supported with numerous awards from the Arts Council of Ireland. Rhona has undertaken several artist residencies internationally. Rhona work is in the collection of The Irish Museum of Modern Art, The Arts Council of Ireland, Fingal County Council, Facebook, Microsoft, Beaumont hospital, NUI Maynooth, The Rollercoaster society America and private collections. Rhona is currently a part time assistant lecturer in LSAD Sculpture and Combined Media.
Selected Commissions
2023 Liffey Love Dublin City Public Art Program, Dublin City Council
2023 Lanestown View, Donabate, Percent for Art Commission Fingal County Council
2018 - ongoing Downside Up . Percent for Art Commission The National Childrens Hospital Dublin.
2021 The Shake, in collaboration with Choreographers Laura Murphy and Siobhan N Dhuinnin. Shake wear and set design supported by The Arts Council of Ireland Project Award.
2020/21 Weather Play in collaboration with Michelle Browne, Hope it Rains curated by Rionach Ni Neill Galway 2020
2016/19 The Scribble, A permanent Public Art Commission for the new Education Hub, Maynooth University.
2017/18 The Central Field, Live Land artwork, in collaboration with artist Yvonne Mc Guinness. commissioned by South Dublin County Council as part of In Context 4 curated by Aoife Tunney and Claire Power.
2017 Summer in the Square John Hansard Gallery, Southhampton curated by Woodrow Kernohan
2017/18 Huddlehood and interactive installation installed in a public space Guildhall Square for 7 weeks.
2017 A Playful City, installation of site specific treehouses for the conference held in Point Village.
2016 Mobile Monuments commissioned by Fingal County Council , 1916 Public Art Commission in collaboration with artist Yvonne Mc Guinness.
2015 Huddlewear and Huddlehood, Facebook HQ AIR program, commission and residency program.
2014 And on that Note A large scale event of performance and Sculpture, Heart of Glass, St Helens Rugby stadium, Liverpool.
2012-13 Bolthole, an interactive sculpture and installation.
Tate Modern, Turbine Hall, Tate Britain, UK, the Irish Museum of Modern Art and Big House Festival 2013 / The Performance Corporation curated by Katy Fitzpatrick and Susan Sheddan.
2013/14 Cowper Care dementia care unit, Dublin. An architectural intervention and wearable works series using smart textiles.
2008/11 Balcony Project, Senior citizens housing complex. An Audio box produced and available in mobile libraries in Dublin City, Commissioned by Dublin City Council.
2009 Architectures of Control, a site specific kinetic sculpture. Radar, Loughborough University, UK, curated by Nick Slater.
2008 The Glen Park project, In Context sculpture commission, creating temporary flexible ‘rooms’ in Glen Park. Cork City Council, Cork,
2007 Artist on the design team with the Office of Public Works and Heneghan Peng Architects collaborating on the concept and planning for the redevelopment of the city central site of Mountjoy prison, Dublin.
2004 Home Rhona Byrne and Ballymun Pigeon Club. A socially engaged project, exhibition, film and publication
2006 The Umbrella Project the LAB, Dublin, A walking tour event that explored and mapped the changing physical and social makeup of the North East inner City of Dublin, resulting in the production of umbrellas an exhibition and publication, commissioned by the Fire Station Artists Studios.
Selected exhibitions 2023
Bolthole, IMMA collection at Clifton Arts Festival
2021
Women in the machine, Carlow Arts Festival
The Narrow Gate of the Here and Now IMMA curated by Georgina Thompson
2019
L’Atlas des Nuages. Fondation Francoisschneider, France curated by Marie Terrieux.
Please Touch: Tactile Encounters, curated by Chris Clarke and Fiona Kearney
Open studio exhibition at FAAP Sao Paulo. Residência Artística FAAP · São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Untertage Sao Paulo . Spatial intervention in the former Centro de Empreendedorismo / FAAP, São Paolo, Brazil, 2018in collaboration with Friedrich Engl and Ursula Gaisbauer.
2018
John Hansard Gallery, Southhampton curated by Woodrow Kernohan
(solo)
2017
The Play Project. VISUAL Carlow, curated by Emma Lucy O’Brien.
You and I, curated by Alissa Kleist Millennium Court Arts Centre
2016
A Decade, Irish Museum of Modern Art. An exhibition of works the the IMMA collection.
Embodied Encounters, Beall centre for Art and Technology, Irvine California, USA curated by David Familian and Simon Penny In Conjunction with “Body of Knowledge”Conference UC Irvine.
A Fair Land, Grizedale Arts at Irish Museum of Modern Art. 2015 Temple Bar Gallery and Studios Solo exhibition, Huddle Tests and a School for revolutionary girls a project by Suzanne Lacy. IMMA.
Visual Centre for Contemporary Art Carlow, Bolthole, curated by Emma Lucy O'Brien.
2015
Temple Bar Gallery and Studios Huddle Tests. ( Solo)
Tulca Festival of Visual Art Galway, Seachange, curated by Mary Cremin.
Fourth Space West Cork Centre A coloured threshold, curated by Ann Davoren.
2014
National Gallery of Ireland, A Moving Threshold. Performative sculpture, curated by Vaari Claffey and Donal Maguire.
Ridge and worn mountain, Phishing the Landscape Verksmijan, Hjalteyri in Iceland curated by Catriona Shaw and Clementine Roy.
2013
Norfolk and Norwich Arts Festival, Norwich, Uk, curated by Stephen Brandes. (solo)
Irish Museum of Modern Art, In the Line of Beauty, curated by Rachel Thomas.
Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin Action All areas, curated by Katy Fitzpatrick.
St Andrew's Community Centre, The producers, Rialto, Dublin, curated by Vaari Claffey.
The Lab, ‘A Physical Place’, Exiles, Dublin, curated by Alison Pilkington.
2012
Tate Modern, Turbine Hall, UK, ‘Bolt-Hole’, curated by Susan Sheddan.
Tate Britain, ‘Bolt-Hole’, UK, curated by Katy Fitzpatrick.
Cartel Gallery, ‘Last day.’, London, UK, curated by Paul O'Neill.
Gracelands at EVA, ‘Circling the Square’, Limerick, IE, curated by Vaari Claffey.
White Box, New York, ‘All Humans Do’, curated by Aoife Tunney and Chris Fite Wassilak.
The Model, Sligo, ‘All Humans Do’, curated by Aoife Tunney and Chris Fite Wassilak.
2011
Iteration: Again, Hobart, Tasmania. AU, ‘Our Day Will Come’ by Paul O’Neill and curated by Fiona Lee in, curated by David Cross.
Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris FR, ‘De l'émergence du Phénix,’ curated by Caroline Hancock
Tampere Art Museum, Finland, FI, ‘Body and Movement’, curated by Laura Koonika and Virpi Nikkari
2010
The Mattress Factory Museum, Pittsburgh, US, ‘Nothing is impossible’, curated by Mark Garry and Georgina Jackson.
Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, IE ‘Futures 10’, curated by RuthCarroll and Patrick Murphy.
Sinop Biennial, Turkey, Temporarily shelved, Curated by Vaari Claffey and Rana Öztürk. Gracelands, Dromahair, IE, Folly, curated by Vaari Claffey.
Tulca Galway Arts Festival, Galway IE ‘Living on the Edge’, curated by Michelle Browne.
Tulca Galway Arts Festival, Galway IE ‘Living on the Edge’, curated by Michelle Browne.
2009
Connaught House, Dublin, IE, ‘Work In Space’, curated by Aoife Tunney.
Gracelands, Dromahair, IE,’ Mimetic’, curated by Vaari Claffey.
2008
Four Gallery at the Kerlin Gallery, Dublin, IE, (Solo) ‘It’s a Roller Coaster’, curated by Lee Welsh.
Artists Residencies
2020/21 UCD Parity Studios Artists Residency 1 year
2020 Cow House Studios Wexford Ireland 1 wk
2019 Gowanus Canal Projects, Brooklyn New York,
4 wks.
2018 FAAP Residência Artística FAAP / MAB Centro Sao Paulo Brazil. 3 mths.
2016 The little house gallery and residency, Venice Beach LA 1 mth
2016 Irish Museum of Modern Art . A Fair Land Grizedale Arts.
1 mth
2015 Facebook HQ Dublin 3 months
2014 Resort Residency. Case Study 1, Portrane, Fingal County Council.
2 weeks
2014 Artists Stays. Mobile Art School at St Catherine’s primary.
2011 Gertrude Contemporary, Melbourne, Australia. 2mths.
2010 The Mattress Factory Museum, Pittsburgh, USA. 2mths.
2009/12 A Membership Studio at Temple Bar Gallery and Studios, Dublin. 3yrs.
2008 The Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin. 6mths.
2008 Ardbia, Berlin, Germany. 3 wks.
2006 Pepinieres map XXL, Art4EU, Haus der Architektur, Graz, Austria. 3mths.
2005-06 The Fire Station’s Artists Studios ‘Artists in the Community Studio Award’ 1 yr.
2002-05 Residential studio in the Fire Station Artists Studios. Dublin. 3yrs
2009/12 Membership Studio at Temple Bar Gallery and Studios, Dublin. 3yrs.
2008 The Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin. 6mths.
2008 Ardbia, Berlin, Germany. 3 weeks.
2006 Pepinieres map XXL, Art4EU, Haus der Architektur, Graz, Austria. 3mths.
2005-06 The FireStation’s ArtistsStudios‘Artists in the Community Studio Award’ 1yr
2002-05 Residential studio in the FireStation Artists Studios. Dublin. 3yrs
Awards
2020 Visual Arts project Development Award
2016, 2020 Fingal County Council Artists Bursary Award
2008, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2020 Arts Council of Ireland, IE, Visual Arts Bursary
2005, 2011,2012, 2014, 2018 Arts Council of Ireland, IE, Travel and Mobility Award
2008, 2013 Arts Council of Ireland, IE, Project New Work Award.
2003 Artist in the Community Scheme Award. The Irish Arts Council administered by CREATE