Kelly M O'Brien
I am a visual artist working in sculpture and installation. My work explores themes of care and repair related to climate change and biodiversity. The materials I work with—biomaterials that are plant-based and biodegradable—are at the heart of my practice. My aim is to do less harm through material choices and approaches to making, or at least not add to the problem.
Declaration
My art practice is a platform to share ideas and catalyze action around the potential for materials and ways of making that do less harm. The materials I work with – mycelium, biomaterials, foraged – are symbolic of interconnectedness, agency, resilience, repair, and impermanence. In my work, the medium is the message, sparking curiosity and conversation with audiences it reaches.
I aspire to do better and more. Beyond studio and gallery, I am interested in where this work might engage in a praxis of care. How might we foster a web of care for land, people, and creatures? I am incredibly inspired by the actions and initiatives fostered by this movement. First introduced to Culture Declares when living in the UK, I want to help catalyze this conversation in the US where I now live—in my immediate community, regionally, and beyond.
