CV_Bio_Contact
Kiera O'Toole (b. 1977) is an visual artist and practice-based doctoral researcher at Loughborough University, UK.
"The question is not how a space feels to me but how it feels though me.
It's not how I perceive a space but how a space is perceived through me” (O’Toole 2021)
I’m transfixed about how humans experience the world, particularly the involuntary fragment, before we can name things or even identify our subjective selves. My work aims to address the crisis of our disconnected emotional relationship with the earth by “reigniting our millennia-old biophilia—love of life—for our home planet” (Albreact 2019). Guided by my concept of ‘Felt-Maps’ (PhD research) the work examines drawings capacity to reveal and record the ‘emotional vibrations’ of everyday lived experiences beyond what can be explained through our five senses to include our pathic felt sense. I examine how the 'emotional vibrations' of spaces in which we occupy can deeply influence our experience. I consider myself a ‘patheur’; someone who follows their intuitive impulses, and I make drawings that must be felt rather than only intellectually understood. My felt body perceives this charge as an emotive modality of knowing beyond any physical boarders. My work attempts to enact a ‘holding space’ for this knowledge that is sensed through our felt bodies which is in a dialogue with wider forces at play such as social, environmental and cultural contexts.
Drawing on the phenomenological and aesthetic concept of atmospheric perception, I explore how drawing can map, record, materialise and afford atmospheric experiences. The concept of atmospheres does not refer to meteorology or the atmospheric sciences, rather atmospheres are spatialised feelings which register as some kind of atmospheric charge. The Felt Maps record something that is neither a thing nor a quasi-thing but something more felt rather than thought. The drawings materialise the non-representational aspects of human life to open up a realm on human existence which is entangled with non-human entities and our world. The ‘felt-maps’ are an attempt to return us towards who we are and where we are in a more holistic manner.
"The question is not how a space feels to me but how it feels though me.
It's not how I perceive a space but how a space is perceived through me” (O’Toole 2021)
I’m transfixed about how humans experience the world, particularly the involuntary fragment, before we can name things or even identify our subjective selves. My work aims to address the crisis of our disconnected emotional relationship with the earth by “reigniting our millennia-old biophilia—love of life—for our home planet” (Albreact 2019). Guided by my concept of ‘Felt-Maps’ (PhD research) the work examines drawings capacity to reveal and record the ‘emotional vibrations’ of everyday lived experiences beyond what can be explained through our five senses to include our pathic felt sense. I examine how the 'emotional vibrations' of spaces in which we occupy can deeply influence our experience. I consider myself a ‘patheur’; someone who follows their intuitive impulses, and I make drawings that must be felt rather than only intellectually understood. My felt body perceives this charge as an emotive modality of knowing beyond any physical boarders. My work attempts to enact a ‘holding space’ for this knowledge that is sensed through our felt bodies which is in a dialogue with wider forces at play such as social, environmental and cultural contexts.
Drawing on the phenomenological and aesthetic concept of atmospheric perception, I explore how drawing can map, record, materialise and afford atmospheric experiences. The concept of atmospheres does not refer to meteorology or the atmospheric sciences, rather atmospheres are spatialised feelings which register as some kind of atmospheric charge. The Felt Maps record something that is neither a thing nor a quasi-thing but something more felt rather than thought. The drawings materialise the non-representational aspects of human life to open up a realm on human existence which is entangled with non-human entities and our world. The ‘felt-maps’ are an attempt to return us towards who we are and where we are in a more holistic manner.
BIOGRAPHY
Kiera O’Toole is an independent visual artist and a doctoral researcher (PT) at Loughborough University UK. O’Toole’s practice and research examines drawing's capacity to record and materialise a site’s atmospheric emotional tone. Her drawing outputs include conferences, residencies, publications, and exhibitions within gallery and non-gallery spaces.
Recent exhibitions include ‘Felt Map: Manorhamilton’, Leitrim Sculpture Centre ; ‘Felt Map: Derry-Londonderry’, CCA Derry- Londonderry, ‘Felt map: Caves of Keash’, Tread Softly Arts Festivals, ARTWORKS 2020, VISUAL Carlow, Carlow Arts Festival, Highlanes Gallery, Beyond Drawing curated by Arno Kramer, Ballina Arts Centre and Uillinn West Corks Arts Centre 2022 and artist residency at Leitrim Sculpture Centre in 2022/2023.
O'Toole publishes including contributing book chapters; 2021; ‘Project Anywhere Biennial IV’, published by University of Melbourne and Parsons, School of Art, NY; 2020: ’Drawing from the Non-Place’ published by Cambridge Scholars.
O'Toole is a co-founder of Drawing deCentered which is professional artist-led collective that explores contemporary drawing practice (https://www.drawingdecentered.com) and a
a founding member of N I N E-artists (https://nine-artists.com)
Recent recipient of the Agility Award by the Arts Council of Ireland, 2021
O’Toole currently resides in Sligo and held a studio at The Model, Sligo for seven years.
Kiera O’Toole is an independent visual artist and a doctoral researcher (PT) at Loughborough University UK. O’Toole’s practice and research examines drawing's capacity to record and materialise a site’s atmospheric emotional tone. Her drawing outputs include conferences, residencies, publications, and exhibitions within gallery and non-gallery spaces.
Recent exhibitions include ‘Felt Map: Manorhamilton’, Leitrim Sculpture Centre ; ‘Felt Map: Derry-Londonderry’, CCA Derry- Londonderry, ‘Felt map: Caves of Keash’, Tread Softly Arts Festivals, ARTWORKS 2020, VISUAL Carlow, Carlow Arts Festival, Highlanes Gallery, Beyond Drawing curated by Arno Kramer, Ballina Arts Centre and Uillinn West Corks Arts Centre 2022 and artist residency at Leitrim Sculpture Centre in 2022/2023.
O'Toole publishes including contributing book chapters; 2021; ‘Project Anywhere Biennial IV’, published by University of Melbourne and Parsons, School of Art, NY; 2020: ’Drawing from the Non-Place’ published by Cambridge Scholars.
O'Toole is a co-founder of Drawing deCentered which is professional artist-led collective that explores contemporary drawing practice (https://www.drawingdecentered.com) and a
a founding member of N I N E-artists (https://nine-artists.com)
Recent recipient of the Agility Award by the Arts Council of Ireland, 2021
O’Toole currently resides in Sligo and held a studio at The Model, Sligo for seven years.
CONTACT
PHONE
+353 (0)89 2270825
kieraotooleartist@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/kieraotooleartistresearcher/
VIMEO
https://vimeo.com/kieraotoole
Studio - The University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia, 2013
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STUDIO - Lissadell House, Sligo, Ireland, 2015
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STUDIO - Narara, NSW, Australia 2013-2014
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Studio - The Model Sligo, Ireland 2016- present
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