Performance: The Skin Reads the Room by Bridget O’Gorman

The Skin Reads the Room is an in-progress lecture-performance and sound-scape by artist Bridget O’Gorman.

Thinking through ideas around mobility, access and the institution from a feminist, crip perspective – the artist recounts a visit to an exhibition of works by Louise Bourgeois at The Douglas Hyde in 1996.

The performance considers Bourgeois’ tendency to throw her works to the ground in a rage [with the aim of breaking it] as a sculptural act – or the embodiment of claiming space.  The idea of cracking, brokenness or debility as a way of reading the world rubs up against the notion that ‘Libraries, public lectures and art galleries’ were originally conceived of as a vehicle for policing public movement and behaviour.

Drawing from semi-autobiographical, architectural and sculptural narratives the piece converses with both the negative and positive spaces of the gallery, to question for whom does this function?

Access

The performance will take place on Wednesday evening and on Thursday afternoon. The performance on Thursday afternoon will be a relaxed performance with lower sound levels. Both performances will have ISL (Irish Sign Language) interpretation and will last for approximately 45 minutes, following which there will be a short Q&A with artist Bridget O’Gorman and Director Georgina Jackson.