Ciarán O’Keeffe

Using spoken word and song, placing emphasis on absurdity, comedy and pathos, Ciarán O’Keeffe’s live art practice draws on theatre and alternative cabaret.

“I am interested in the self, the confusions and uncertainties that hover and bounce around same. My art is an attempt to tackle this intricate area, hoping to find some answers or rationale or the merest hint of logic. In the process I question truth by knowingly rearranging or exaggerating memory.”

Performances include Roadkill (Irish Museum of Modern Art); Songs of Longing and Inductive Probability (both RHA Gallery); Lovestock (Temple Bar Gallery); Alternative Miss Ireland (Olympia Theatre); Tiger Dublin Fringe (Pearse Centre and The New Theatre); Dublin Live Art Festival (Art Lot, Mart Studios and the Backloft); David Hoyle at The Liberties Festival (Tivoli Theatre, Dublin); The Human Library (Visual, Carlow Arts Festival); Queerstock (The Complex, Dublin); This Is Pop Baby (Electric Picnic); Get Out (MART Studios); Livestock (Market Studios); The Angels of the Odd (Galway Arts Fringe Festival); Juxtaposed (Backloft); Guystock and Buzzers in Art (both Market Studios); Take It Up The Entry (Outburst Queer Arts Festival, Belfast); Beatyard City Festival (Twisted Pepper); Show and Tell (Visual Arts Ireland); Sanatorium (Old Boys School, Smock Alley); Culture Night (Monster Truck Gallery); Overstock (MART Studios); E.S.P TV (Pallas Studios); Response to the IMMA Collection (The Drawing Project); Bundle of Mysteries (MART Studios); 3.4.12 (Block T); Samhain (Backloft); Taibh (Workmans); Dark Pearl (Liquor Rooms); underCURRENT (Workman); Glitter HOLE (Jigsaw); Spicebag (Pearse Centre) The Bon Bon Room (Wigwam) and Lipstuck (Outhouse).

Ciarán is a graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, New York and of The Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Dun Laoghaire, where he currently lectures in photography and performance.

As Smilin’ Kanker, Ciarán won the Alternative Miss Ireland title in 2009.