KIRA O’REILLY

SIZE OF COMPANY
1–4 on the road

SCALE OF VENUE
Small-scale

PERMANENT STAFF
Artist
Kira O’Reilly

ARTISTIC POLICY
Kira O’Reilly uses her body as a moving, investigating object, articulating a fraught formalism and emotionalism in tense “dances”. Hers is a 40 year-old non-dance trained body attempting to dance at the edge of some kind of capacity and some unnamed ground; falling, tottering in syncopal swoons and deep breaths. She re-negotiates her relationship with her audience into immediate and intimate dialogues, which are tender, troubling and always astonishing.

REVIEW EXTRACTS
'I like to think Kira’s work is... not beautiful but sublime.' Lois Keidan, National Review of Live Art Programme

'O’Reilly permeates the barrier between us to explore whether or not this exchange has meaning and makes the audience aware more than ever before of its individual responsibility, culpability and generosity.' Helen Cole, Arnolfini

‘The lasting impression that makes the piece so successful – the nagging feeling that we're all complicit, that perhaps we're all being manipulated.’ Mary Paterson, spilloverspill.blogspot.com

CURRENT PRODUCTIONS
Untitled (Syncope) A solo dance in three parts, re-made for specific sites. (45 mins, 1 on stage, 3 on the road.)

Inthewrongplaceness For one audience member at a time, a 10-minute slow crushing dance with a sow carcass that is repeated over the course of several hours. (Duration variable, 1 on stage, 2 on the road.)

View (nearer to the time) Intimate and personal one-on-one negotiations between artist and audience to negotiate the making or not making of a cut on the artist’s body. The audience then meets with the artist’s shrouded and impersonalised body in small groups to make or not make their mark. (Duration variable, up to 6 hours, viewed in groups of 5 people at a time for 20 mins, 2 on stage, 2 on the road.)

WRAP-AROUND
O’Reilly makes and re-makes work in specific contexts and sites and for specific audiences. There are possibilities for these opportunities to be within residencies and accompanied by discussions, workshops with other artists, talks and lectures. Her workshops are for adults and practicing artists in any number of artistic fields. She is keen to promote interdisciplinary approaches and innovative situations for discovery and sustained practice.

RECENT INTERNATIONAL WORK
2007 Spain (Syncope)
2006 China (Untitled (Seal)), Spain (Untitled Action)
2004 Hong Kong (Untitled Action)

TOURING AVAILABILITY
From February 2008