The National College
Fine Art Staff
Susan MacWilliam
Lecturer, Painting
Susan MacWilliam will represent Northern Ireland with a solo show at
the 2009 Venice Biennale.
Press Release
Susan MacWilliam's practice involves the investigation of particular individual case histories and myths, particularly those relating to the paranormal, the supernatural and to perceptual phenomena. She incorporates the fields of psychical research, psychology and physiology into her artistic practice. Using video, photography and installation, her works explore ideas about the presentation and credibility of an image and question vision and perception, reality and illusion. MacWilliam has made work about materialisation mediums, table tilters, optograms, trance, dermo optical perception and x-ray vision. MacWilliam works extensively with archives and direct first hand contact with research bodies and figures significant to the narratives. The use of interview and documentary processes as portraiture is explored. MacWilliam produces unique works of art that provide a visual entry point into the history of parapsychology.
A number of obscure historical figures have been the subject of MacWilliam’s work. These figures posses a variety of bizarre and extraordinary phenomena which are discussed in the 2005 video work 'Explaining Magic To Mercer', here MacWilliam discusses the X-Ray vision of Kuda Bux, the ectoplasmic materialisations of Helen Duncan, the multiple personalities of Mollie Fancher and the fingertip vision of Rosa Kuleshova with her 5 year old nephew Mercer. 'Explaining Magic to Mercer' has been exhibited in New York, Washington, London, Slovenia, Belfast, Birr and Claremorris.
In 2006 MacWilliam worked with the American Society of Psychical Research and The Parapsychology Foundation, New York. In 2007 she was artist in residence at the Parapsychology Foundation and attended the Parapsychological Association Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 2007 she exhibited in 'Seeing is Believing' at The Photographers' Gallery, London. Her 2008 New York solo show 'Double Vision' at Jack the Pelican Presents is reviewed in ArtForum, Summer 2008. MacWilliam's 2008 solo show 'Eileen' at Gimpel Fils, London presented video work about Eileen Garrett, the famous Irish medium and founder of The Parapsychology Foundation, New York. In July 2008 MacWilliam will travel to Winnipeg for an Arts Council of Northern Ireland sponsored residency at aceartinc gallery and will research the Thomas Glendenning Hamilton Spirit Photograph Archive at the University of Manitoba. In 2008 MacWilliam's video works (1998-2007) will be housed in the British Library's 'Sound Archive', London. In 2008/2009 MacWilliam will exhibit in the touring show 'The Pressure of a Sign - Visible Invisible', Poland, Portugal, Ireland.
MacWilliam was shortlisted for the 1999 IMMA/Glen Dimplex Artists Award at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin and in 2003 was awarded the Perspective Award at Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast. MacWilliam has been artist in residence at PS1 Contemporary Art Center, New York; Carribean Centre for Contemporary Arts, Trinidad; Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin and Likovni Salon, Celje, Slovenia. She has exhibited worldwide and her work has been reviewed extensively.
Solo exhibitions include - Likovni Salon, Celje 2006; Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin, 2004; Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast, 2003; Butler Gallery, Kilkenny, 2002; Cornerhouse, Manchester, 2001; Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick, 2000; Context Gallery, Derry, 1999; Old Museum Arts Centre, Belfast, 1999; Project Arts Centre, Dublin, 1997 and Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast, 1995. Recent group shows include; ‘Falling’, Jack the Pelican Presents, New York, 2007; ‘New Art From Northern Ireland’, Katzen Arts Centre, American University, Washington, DC, 2007; ‘Flash on the Screen’, Basekamp, Philadelphia, 2007; ‘EV+A 2006’, Limerick; ‘Smoke and Mirrors’, Mac, Birmingham, 2006; ‘To Be Continued…/Jatkuu…’, Helsinki Photography Festival, Helsinki, Finland, 2005; ‘Red White Blue’, Spencer Brownstone Gallery, New York, 2005; ‘Artistas Visuales de Belfast’, La Sala Naranja, Valencia, Spain, 2005; ‘Inter’, Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston, 2004; ‘Eye Test’, Stephen Lawrence Gallery, Old Royal Naval College, Maritime Greenwich, London, 2004; ‘Perspective 03’, Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast, 2003; ‘House of Science’, Kino Central, Berlin, 2003 and ‘Afterlife’, Chapter Arts, Cardiff + Guildhall, Newcastle Upon Tyne, 2003.
MacWilliam lives in Belfast, she is a member of Orchid Studios, Belfast and is a board member of Source Photographic Magazine and Visual Artists Ireland.
