CONTACT
Email [email protected]
ABOUT
Olivia Furey is an Irish performance and sound artist based in Scotland. Olivia takes on a disruptive and hysterical persona in her performances, who vocally interacts with audiences in a challenging and absurd manner. Her performances are intense yet delivered with an element of humour. Her persona also involves being an amateur musician who invents instruments. She also searches for weird sounds through everyday objects such as doorbells and kids toys. Olivia’s performances also explore assertive noise-making through electric guitar, electronics, and sonic manipulation experiments. Olivia’s live performances generally hover between an experimental song and a disruptive, performative act.
After completing an MFA at Edinburgh College of Art in 2019, Olivia performed at festivals, exhibitions, and gigs in Ireland and the UK, such as Radiophrenia and Supernormal Festival, a Torsten Lauschmann exhibition, and gigs with Gross Net, Just Mustard, and Percolator. Since lockdown began, Olivia started experimenting with making noises with clutter from her home. She would gather objects such as kitchen utensils, biscuit tins, elastic bands and throw them around on a trolley or scrape them with a contact mic and use effect pedals on them. She took a visceral approach to the sound making. This project became known as cluttercore, a new genre invented by her persona. Olivia performed cluttercore for online live streams, including Cairde Sligo Arts Festival, Colour Out of Space Festival and Culture as a Dare Festival.
NEWS
Tectonics
On May 9th Olivia performed one of her rare full band shows for Tectonics Festival at Glasgow City Halls. The performance was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and is available to watch back until June 7th 2021 at the link here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09hb756
Feile n Griene Podcast
In April 2021, Olivia was a guest on the Feile na Griene podcast. She chatted to John Ahern about her practice and played tracks by artists and bands she loves. Listen back to the podcast here: www.mixcloud.com/DublinDigitalRadio/f%C3%A9ile-na-gr%C3%A9ine-26-04-21/
EDUCATION
MFA in Contemporary Art Practice, Edinburgh College of Art 2017-2019
BA (Hons) Fine Art in Painting, Limerick School of Art and Design 2011-2015
AWARDS
Andrew Grant Postgraduate Scholarship at Edinburgh College of Art 2018
EXHIBITIONS, SELECTED PERFORMANCES & PROJECTS
Isolated Mess: Halloween Special, October 2020
Online via the Telegram app. A series of live stream performances by artists and musicians. Curated by Giblet Gusset.
Colour Out Of Space presents: Plague Time TV episode 5, July 2020
Online via Youtube. A series of clips of lockdown sound experiments by artists and musicians. Curated by Colour Out Of Space.
Cairde Sligo Arts Festival presents: Vagabond Vocies series at Cairde Connected Online Festival, July 2020
Online via Youtube. Performance for the virtual edition of Vagabond Voices as part of the annual Cairde Sligo Arts Festival.
Culture as a Dare Festival, May 2020
Online via Youtube. Virtual edition of the Essex alternative music and arts festival.
Young Women's Music Project Oxford presents: YWMP Bedroom Concert: Olivia Furey, May 2020
Online via Youtube Live. Live stream performance as part of the virtual bedroom concert series hosted by YWMP based in Oxford.
Fuzz Bat Gigs Live Stream 7, May 2020
Online via Facebook Live. Live broadcast performance hosted by Fuzz Bat Gigs based in Edinburgh.
Isolated Mass #6, April 2020
Online via Telegram app. Performance for an online series curated by Giblet Gusset based in Sheffield.
Fuzz Bat Gigs Live Stream 3, April 2020
Online via Facebook Live. Live broadcast performance hosted by Fuzz Bat Gigs based in Edinburgh.
Heinous Whining, April 2020
Online via Twitch. Virtual performance for the weekly noiz/improv stream curated by Territorial Gobbing based in Leeds.
Braw Gigs presents: Daniel Padden / Hoch Ma Toch / Olivia Furey, March 2020
Upstairs at the Waverley Bar, 3-5 St. Mary's St., Edinburgh.
Fuzz Bat Gigs Presents: Territorial Gobbing / Ali Robertson & Firas Khnaisser / Puppet Midnight / Olivia Furey, February 2020
Leith Depot, 140 Leith Walk, Edinburgh, Scotland. A gig hosting several musicians who play free improv.
Seoda Shows Presents: Just Mustard with Special Guest Olivia Furey, December 2019
Kasbah Social Club, 5 Dock Road, Limerick. Olivia performed as the support slot for the band Just Mustard.
How Bazaar: An Unscene Music Compilation, December 2019
A compilation album with tracks by past performers of the Unscene Bazaar shows which featured a track by Olivia. Click here to listen to the compilation: unscenemusic.bandcamp.com/album/how-bazaar
Closing Event for Torsten Lauschmann's solo exhibition '13 September 1752', November 2019
The Model, The Mall, Sligo. An eclectic mix of experimental music and video by Torsten Lauschmann and invited guests Seamus Harahan and Olivia Furey.
DIY LK presents: Percolator // Jogging // Olivia Furey, November 2019
Pharmacia, 8 Sarsfield St., Limerick. Olivia opened for the two Dublin bands on the Limerick leg of their individual tours. Hosted by the music collective DIY LK.
Cosmonaut Music presents: Halloween Spook Show: Ten Past Seven // Horse // Olivia Furey, November 2019
An Spailpin Fanach, 29 S Main St., Cork. Olivia performed in support for the Kerry prog rock band Ten Past Seven.
Cork Improvised Music Club Presents: Olivia Furey & Imna Pavon/Dan Walsh Duo, October 2019
Plugd, 1 Castle St, Cork. A night of improvised music & performances for the October edition of the Cork Improvised Music Club.
Evil IV: A Night of Live Art featuring Bell Lungs & Le Pizza Galaxie, September 2019
Pharmacia, 8 Sarsfield St., Limerick. A performance for the fourth night of live art by the Evil collective.
Art for Blind & The Model Presents: Gross Net + Olivia Furey, September 2019
The Model, The Mall, Sligo. Opening for Gross Net, as part of Art for Blind Record's 2019 Autumn Music Series.
Supernormal Festival, August 2019
Brazier's Park, Ipsden, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, England. A performance at the three day experimental arts festival.
Sonnets to Malkmus Book Launch, July 2019
Kasbah Social Club, 5 Dock Rd, Limerick. Irish writer Ellen Dillon invited Olivia to do a performance at the launch of her new book: Sonnets to Malkmus.
Edinburgh College of Art Degree Show, June 2019
Edinburgh College of Art, 74 Lauriston Pl, Edinburgh. A showcase of ECA's 2019 graduates.
Radiophrenia, May 2019
CCA Glasgow, 350 Sauchiehall St., Glasgow. Live to air studio performance as part of the annual temporary art radio station.
Unscene Bazaar#04, April 2019
The Wickham Tap, Wickham St., Limerick. This was the 4th Bazaar night hosted by Unscene Limerick. Olivia performed her piece Hyper Mundane.
Live at The Bookmart presents: Kelly Jayne Jones & Olivia Furey, April 2019
Bookmart Sligo, Bridge St., Sligo. Olivia opened for Manchester based artist, Kelly Jayne Jones.
The Limerick Soviet Shilling Project, April 2019
As part of the Limerick Soviet 100 Festival, Olivia was commissioned to design a shilling which was used as a temporary currency in various venues in Limerick city from April 2019 to May 2019. Click here to view more information on the project: www.saiocht.ie/
Cantine-Plus: Performance, Music & Listening, March 2019
Edinburgh College of Art, Lauirston Place, Edinburgh. Olivia performed at the inaugural event for this student led initiative for lunchtime performances.
Féile Na Gréine: Art Exhibition, August 2018
Lucky Lane, 9 & 3/4 Catherine St., Limerick. An exhibition for the inaugural Féile Na Gréine festival by collectives DIY LK & Lower Your Expectations.
The F-Word: Feminist Festival in Galway, August 2018
Galway Designer's Studio House, 1 St Augustine St, Galway. An art exhibition as part of the week long feminist festival hosted by Galway Feminist Collective.
Evil: Performance Art Collective Launch, August 2018
Pharmacia, 8 Sarsfield St., Limerick. A series of live performances from members of the collective Evil.
Confabulate State, April 2018
EMBASSY Gallery, 10B Broughton St. Lane, Edinburgh. A group exhibition showcasing the work of seven MA/MFA artists from Edinburgh College of Art who are diverse in their processes and outcomes.
We've Taken on a Role, March 2018
The Number Shop Gallery, 188-190 Pleasance, Edinburgh. Artist book exhibition and performance event by artists Olivia Furey, Nadia Scola and Anthi Kyriacou.
The Limerick Spring Festival of Politics and Ideas: Art in Uncertain Times, February 2018
Limerick School of Art and Design, Clare Street, Limerick. Group exhibition as part of the annual festival of politics and ideas in Limerick.
Girls to the Front: Thomond Sessions presents a celebration of music and artwork, September 2017
Chez le Fab, Arthurs Quay, Limerick. September edition of Thomond Sessions, featuring an exhibition of artwork and a performance by Olivia Furey.
Breaking Media: The Project Motive presents an exhibition of artwork by Olivia Furey, April 2017
Mother Macs, 9 High St, Limerick. A solo exhibition of artwork by Olivia Furey, curated & presented by the Project Motive.
ABLE: Artists Books Limerick Exhibition, February 2017
Limerick School of Art and Design, Clare St., Limerick. 3rd annual ABLE LSAD exhibition of artist books created by staff, students and alumni of LSAD.
Female/Mystic: Olivia Furey & Keith Blake, December 2016
The Source Arts Centre, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. An exhibition of artwork by Olivia Furey and Keith Blake.
Art Show: Olivia Furey & Keith Blake, October 2016
Cb1 Gallery, Central Buildings, 51a O’Connell St., Limerick. An exhibition of artwork by Olivia Furey and Keith Blake.
Bed Not Benches, December 2015
Hunt Museum, Rutland St, Limerick. Be Sound presented an exhibition of artwork by a selected number of the staff, students and alumni of LSAD. Followed by a silent auction of the artworks, with all the proceeds going to the Mid-West Simon Community.
LSAD is ON, June 2015
Limerick School of Art and Design Degree Show. LSAD's showcase of 2015 graduates.
Olivia Furey in Collaboration with Laura Walsh and Ger Devine from Cruiser, May 2015
Limerick School of Art and Design. Guerrilla performance in the college's canteen. Olivia performed a feminist spoken word piece over a wall of noise made by the local band.
Impact, May 2014
Impact Trade Union, Roxborough Rd., Limerick. An exhibition of artwork by 3rd year painting students from Limerick School of Art and Design.
Limerick With Love, March 2014
Shannon Airport, Lismacleane, Co. Clare. LSAD in conjunction with Limerick City of Culture, presented a photographic exhibition at Shannon airport.
Freshers Week Exhibition, September 2013
The Blind Pig, 33 Thomas St, Limerick. LSAD Student's Union hosted an exhibition of artwork by a selected group of LSAD past and current students.
Traces, April 2013
Hunt Museum, Rutland St, Limerick. Traces was the 16th annual exhibition by LSAD 2nd year painting students.
PUBLISHED INTERVIEWS
Shouting Out Loud: Olivia Furey, November 2019
Painting In Text, Interview by Barry McHugh: paintingintext.com/2019/11/21/shouting-out-loud-olivia-furey/
Artist Profile: Olivia Furey, June 2017
The Limerick Magazine. Interview by Kayleigh Ziolo: http://thelimerickmagazine.com/index.php/2017/05/30/artist-profile-olivia-furey/