ARTISTS STATEMENT

My recent work, SKIN, BONES AND FLESH evolved from a complex interweaving of my past experiences, growing up Irish, experimenting and working in the visual and performing arts, and participating in a residency in Athens at ADASH space. At CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS, where I did my foundation degree, threads relating to gender and colonisation became the focal point, so being Irish in a British Cultural institution was challenging. I created large scale installations of paintings, which I cut up and used to create stories across the top floor. I was questioning how we socialised in the art space and were producers of commodification, and it caused a huge controversy amongst students. 

Revisiting that work after decades of visual and performing arts experience lead to my approach at ADASH space. I started to make music, which harkened to how I felt John Cage and his work spoke about listening and quiet. This brought me back to the idea of the female body and the canvas as her skin on the walls of functional patriarchy—the gallery space. I incorporated my experience in performing and being present into these paintings so that they embodied a liberating experience. In a way, I was trying to create a higher consciousness where I could be free. I recorded my first album titled NORMAL last year. The lyrics really express this conflict between the mechanical and nurturing—the female unseen in remission to death, creating a new form.

Currently, I am working on my second album and realising my project M E R K A B AH at the National Sculpture Factory in Ireland. It consists of a large installation and weekly performances ending with an exhibition 29/9/2023. I am also currently working with Athens Biennale curator, Xenia Kalpaktsoglou, on a group show, which will go on exhibit in 2023. This group show’s focus will be called “Love Letters” and my contribution (Love Letter) brought the realisation that for me it represents a “Return to the Origins of Words and Not Our Own Projections.” I want to move away from tension and expectation and create in the here and now. My desire is to remove any sort of social masking in the exhibition space and question the very idea of exhibition so that people can get back to a mindset of resourcefulness and gratitude for the simplicity of life and being in the here and now adventure.

BIOGRAPHY

Norah Dineen is an Irish-born interdisciplinary visual artist, Painter, photographer, Musician, independent producer, director, writer, and award-winning actress. Dineen has a deep interest in human connections and authentic experiences, offering calming and healing works that invite audiences to slow down, detach from devices, and focus on human connection.

Dineen has received the Best Actress award for the film Sleep (2016) at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival and Los Angeles Film Awards, as well as a Semi-Finalist for her film Northern Star (2018) by the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival. She has exhibited throughout the world, including five solo exhibitions in Germany and group exhibitions in Greece, Brazil, London, and Ireland, and was accepted as an artist in-residence at A-Dash in Athens, Greece. She was featured as an A list artist in the hollywood edition of Vanity Fair in 2023. She is a guest Artist at University of the Arts, Philadelphia. Her formal training includes: Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design, London; Actor Space Berlin, Berlin. L’Institut des Etudes Politiques, Paris; and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin. She holds academic degrees in visual and performing arts, as well as performance and sociology.

Current Residence; Cork, ireland

Norah is an award winning actor (IMDB, Spotlight & showreel link, Filmmaker (Producer, Writer, Director) Painter, Photographer and Musician.

FILMOGRAPHY; Click here

SOLO EXHIBITION;

PROTESTING BOTOX, Performance, The National Sculpture Factory, Ireland November 2023.

M E R K A B A H, Weekly Solo exhibition at the National Sculpture Factory, Ireland, August- December 2023. Weekly Performances of songs from upcoming album A SIMPLE WOMAN. Installation and Screening of films weekly: Shop till you drop, No Mans Land, FLOW, LA River, Fantasy, Sleepless.

RETURNING WITH PRAYER FLAGS. EXHIBITION and performance by GROUNDless. PS: Space, ATHENS, September 2021.

Prayer flags show in NEW YORK July 2021, 424 west 54th street New York, NY. fOR MORE INFORMATION: @prayer.flags and here

IMPROV PERFORMANCE BY GROUNDless, BACKSPACE, Athens. October 2020.

THE LIGHTS ARE ON BUT NOBODY IS HOME. EXHIBITION and performance by GROUNDless. PS: Gallery, ATHENS, SEPTEMBER 2020.

SKIN, Bones + flesh; Performance and Exhibition, ADASH Space, Athens. 2019

SKIN, Bones + flesh ; Performance and Exhibition, BACKSPACE, Athens. 2019

GROUNDLESS; Performance + Film (Wild, Black and White Short, Ire 2019), ADASH Space. 2019.

SKIN, FLESH + BONES; Performance and Exhibition, MEME, Athens. 2019

Hollywood Expressionism. Solo Exhibition. Atelier Aviatrix. Berlin. 2014. 

Exploring the Fe/Male. Solo Exhibition; Painting Installation Project Space in former DDR offices. Scharnhorststraße 32. Berlin. 2012. 

Pop Up Show. Solo Exhibition. Schoeneberg, Berlin. 2012.

Das Gift. Solo Exhibition. Neukölln. Berlin. 2012.

"cutting Crops". Private Commission. Interior Graffitti/Wall. Mural. Kreuzberg, Berlin. 2011.

GROUP EXHIBITION;

The Publication and group show “love Letters” will exhibit Norah Dineen’s work, curated by the founder of the Athens Biennale, Xenia Kalpaktsoglou.

SOLO plus 2, Performance. Criss Cross X2, Athens, ADASH Space Athens Greece. 2019.

SOLO, Performance. Criss Cross X2, Athens, ADASH Space Athens Greece. 2019.

O Fim. Group Exhibition. Rio De Janeiro. Brazil. 2013. 

Das Gift. Group Exhibition. 2011.

See-Saw. Foundation End of year exhibition. Central Saint Martins College of art and design. Backhill. london. 2009. 

girl in chair, Painting Group exhibition. National College of Art and Design Dublin. 2007.

PUBLICATIONS:

Norah Dineen’s Work Is Currently Featured As An A-List Artist In The Hollywood Edition Of Vanity Fair

The Egg Series By Norah Dineen Was Featured In House & Garden Magazine, December, January & February Edition 2023.

Interviewed by FILM DAILY, https://filmdaily.co/craft/spotlight/norah-dineen-northern-star/#

Zoo Magazine, Norah Dineen interviewed artist Daniel Richter.

Art Slant Magazine, Norah Dineen interviewed artist Billy Childish for Berlin Art Week.  

ACADEMIC POSITIONS:

Guest Artist Lecturer at The University of the arts, philadelphia, 2023