Beatrice O'Connell

Beatrice O’Connell

Photo courtesy of John Kelly 2025

“We have to appropriate the dramas that surround us and, in a way, befriend them.”

Annette Messager

Beatrice O’Connell is a multidisciplinary artist based in Ireland with an international practice. She holds a BA in Fine Art from TU Dublin (1996) and an MFA from the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) and currently works from La Catedral Studios.

Her work engages with global ecological storytelling, exploring relationships between place, environment, and cultural memory. With a painting career spanning nearly three decades, she has held solo exhibitions at Taylor Galleries (2024), Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, and the Hunt Museum, among other venues.

Alongside her studio practice, she has worked part-time in academic libraries, most recently at the National Irish Visual Arts Library (NIVAL), an experience that continues to inform her research-led approach to art-making.

Selected international exhibitions include: ‘Homeland 2025‘ Damer House Gallery at the Loop Festival, Barcelona (2025) Thinking in Cardboard, The Centre for the Less Good Idea (Johannesburg SA) founded by William Kentridge, Small Pains, Great Songs Artist Books, Pasaj, Istanbul, The Beep Painting Biennial (2020) UK, The Border Art Prize, Tweed River Art Gallery, Australia.

Selected national group exhibitions include the RHA Annual Exhibition (2015-2019), Rua Red Winter Open (2017 and 2018) RUA Belfast (2015); Claremorris Gallery (2017); Annual Wexford Festival Opera Exhibition (2009) Eigse – Carlow (1998, 2014, 2008) Taylor Galleries Winter and Summer Exhibitions (2017-2024) International selected exhibitions: ‘The Border Art Prize 2012’ Tweed River Art Gallery, QLD, Australia. 

Awards: Arts Council Agility Award (2022) Mark Dion at the Alternative Art School (2022) SO Academy SA Mentorship Award (2021) Dublin Corporation Bursary award (2001)  Eigse – Carlow, Emerging Artist Award (1998) Iontas Student Award (1996)

Residencies:  Fundaçion Valparaiso, Spain, Interface Inagh, Connemara, The Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Co Monaghan and Cill Rialaig, Co Kerry. She is a member of the Visual Artists Ireland, Lux Critical Forum Dublin and is a regular contributor to the Visual Artists News Sheet.

Contact: obeatrice@gmail.com