Education: |
2023 |
Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) |
2009 - 2013 |
PhD, The Department of Drama, Queen Mary, University of London |
2003 - 2004 |
Masters in Fine Art with Distinction, Chelsea College of Art, London |
1997 - 2001 |
Bachelors in Fine Art Sculpture with Distinction, Limerick School of Art and Design, Ireland |
Publications: |
Book Chapters |
2022 |
Ann Rossiter and Helena Walsh, ‘From the underground to the avant-garde: A conversation on contributions of the Irish Feminist Diaspora to reproductive justice in Northern Ireland’ in Decriminalising Abortion in Northern Ireland, Bloomer, F., and Campbell, E. (eds.), Bloomsbury Press. |
2021 |
Co-authored with Speaking of IMELDA, ‘Homing in on the States we are In: Speaking of IMELDA’ in: Legacies of the Magdalen Laundries: Commemoration, Gender and the Postcolonial Carceral State, ed. by McAuliffe, M., Pine, E. and Haughton, M., Manchester University Press |
2019 |
Co-authored with members of the Speaking of I.M.E.L.D.A., ‘A Radical Feminist Diaspora: Speaking of IMELDA, Reproductive Justice and Ireland’ in The Routledge Handbook of Radical Politics edited by Ruth Kinna and Uri Gordon. Routledge. |
2015 |
Helena Walsh ‘Developing Dialogues: Live art and Femininity in Post-Conflict Ireland’ in Performance Art in Ireland: A History, edited by Dr. Áine Phillips. Intellect and the Live Art Development Agency.. |
Articles in Peer-reviewed and other Journals |
2022 |
Helena Walsh, ‘Performing Resistance, Care and Labour: Feminist Art and Activism in an Irish Context’ in performingborders e-journal #2: Rallying the Commons |
2020 |
Helena Walsh, ‘Performances of Autonomy: Feminist Performance Practice and Reproductive Rights in Ireland’ in Scene: Special Issue on Performance and Ireland, 8 (1), pp. 29-45 |
2020 |
Helena Walsh, ‘Hanging our Knickers Up: Asserting Autonomy and Cross-Border Solidarity in the #Repalthe8thCampaign,’ in Feminist Review: Special Issue on Abortion in Ireland, 124, pp. 144-151 |
2020 |
Valérie Morisson, ‘Interview with Helena Walsh’ in Études Irlandaises 45(1), pp.25-32 |
2018 |
Christelle Seree-Chaussinand and Helena Walsh, ‘Incarnating and articulating the female other. Interview with Helena Walsh’ Études Irlandaises: Special Issue Irish self-portraits the artist in curved mirrors, 43:1 (2018) |
2015 |
Co-authored with Speaking of I.M.E.L.D.A., ‘Dirty Work Still to be Done: Retrieving and Activating Feminist Acts of Resistance,’ online article to coincide with Contemporary Theatre Review: Special Issue on Gesture, Theatricality, and Protest 25(3) (2015). http://www.contemporarytheatrereview.org/2015/margaretta-darcy/ |
2013 |
Helena Walsh ‘Performing Processes: Live Art and Irish Culture,’ Contemporary Theatre Review: Special Issue on the Northern Irish Peace Process 23:3 (2013), 334 -344 |
2012 |
Johanna Linsley and Helena Walsh ‘Gobsmacked: Getting Speechless in Performance,’ Contemporary Theatre Review: Special Issue on Live Art in the UK, 22:1 (2012), 161-166. |
Catalogue Essay |
2012 |
Helena Walsh LABOUR: Producing Potentials for Empowerment, essay in LABOUR Exhibition Catalogue. Dublin: The Lab / Dublin City Council |
Other |
2018 |
Blog by Helena Walsh based on her presentation at the Border Patrollers event at the Live Art Development Agency as part of Aine Phillips’ Future Histories Project ‘Border Patrollers’ event, which formed part of Aine Phillips’ ‘Future States’ project examining the relationship between Ireland and the UK, in the context of a post-Brexit future. http://www.thisisliveart.co.uk/blog/future-states-by-aine-phillips-no.4 |
2018 |
Speaking of IMELDA, ‘On the Road to the Referendum,’ Red Pepper Magazine
https://www.redpepper.org.uk/on-the-road-to-the-referendum/ |
2017 |
Speaking of IMELDA, ‘When Enda Met Imelda’ Cult Magazine, Issue 08 |
2016 |
Speaking of I.M.E.L.D.A. Direct Action Feminist Performance Group, (2016) Online interview produced as part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s exhibition You Say You Want a Revolution? Records and Rebels 1966-1970.
https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/speaking-of-imelda
|
2016 |
Contribution to Performing Borders: A Study Room Guide on physical and conceptual borders within Live Art (2016) compiled and written by Alessandra Cianetti for the Study Room of the Live Art Development Agency London |
2016 |
Contribution to Live Art and Motherhood: A Study Room Guide on Live Art and the Maternal (2016) compiled and written by Emily Underwood-Lee and Lena Simic for the Study Room of the Live Art Development Agency London |
2016 |
Benjamin Sebastian and Helena Walsh ‘Producing Potentials for Empowerment’ in The Live Art Almanac Volume 4, (2016) edited by Harriet Curtis, Lois Keidan and Aaron Wright published by The Live Art Development Agency. |
2015 |
Contribution of artist’s map to Are We There Yet? – A Study Room Guide on Live Art and Feminism published by Live Art Development Agency London, curated by Lois Weaver in collaboration with Eleanor Roberts |
2015 |
Contribution of artist’s map to Live Art and Feminism in the UK, Google Cultural Institute, December 2015. A partnership with the Google Cultural Institute to create an online exhibition on Live Art and Feminism in the UK. This exhibition,curated by Live Art Development Agency (London) in collaboration with Eleanor Roberts (Queen Mary, University of London), offers a snapshot of some of the key figures and issues of Live Art and Feminism in the UK since 1970. https://goo.gl/zUlE8e |
2011 |
Ann Maria Healy and Helena Walsh, Brutal Silences: Live Art and Irish Culture, a study room guide commissioned by Live Art Development Agency, London. http://www.thisisliveart.co.uk/resources/Study_Room/guides/healy_walsh.html |
Curatorial Projects / Conference Organisation |
2022 |
Curatorial panel member for Compression and Oppression – Residency Programme, Live Art Ireland |
2013 -2018 |
Speaking of IMELDA
Helena Walsh is a founder member of Speaking of IMELDA, a direct-action, feminist performance group based in London. Since forming in December 2013, this inter-generational collective has undertaken a number of public performance interventions that challenge the restrictions on access to abortion on the island of Ireland, that have been featured in national newspapers and a number of other high-profile publications and media. Between 2013 and the successful referendum to repeal the 8th amendment in the Republic of Ireland on 25th May 2018 that enabled the government to legislate for access to abortion, Helena Walsh played a key role in sustaining the collective collaborations of Speaking of IMELDA, contributing to the development of the groups public performances, publications and media campaigns.
For more info please visit www.speakingofimelda.org |
2015 |
Co-curator of ‘Performing Pleasure’ with Livestock as part of the Dublin Live Art Festival Summer programme 2015. Programme included performances by Fergus Byrne, Luke Byrne, Tara Carroll Laura O’Conner, Luke O’Meara and Helena Walsh |
2012 |
LABOUR, a touring exhibition of Live Art, featuring eleven leading female artists who are resident within, or native to, Northern and Southern Ireland. LABOUR was co-curated by Amanda Coogan, Chrissie Cadman and Helena Walsh and produced by Benjamin Sebastian of ]performance s p a c e[, London. This exhibition was accompanied by two public forums and a one-day symposium. It was supported by ]performance s p a c e[, London, The Lab, Dublin, Void Gallery, Derry /Londonderry, Queen Mary University of London, Graduate School of Creative Art and Media (GradCAM), Dublin University of Ulster, The Live Art Development Agency, London, Derry City Council and The Arts Council of Ireland. |
2010 |
GOBSMACKED : Getting Speechless in Performance a one day conference co-organised with Johanna Lindsleyat Queen Mary University of London as part of the Arts and Humanities Council’s Beyond Text, Student–led initiatives. |
Invited Presentations, Papers Presented: |
2024 |
Invited Speaker: Panel for the launch of Wholly Trinity: Abortion, Art and Activism in Ireland, a film in which I was interviewed made by Turner prize winners Array Collective, Alliance for Choice and the Open University. |
2022 |
Invited Speaker: Feminism and Performance with artist Helena Walsh as part of performingborders: Body, Politics and Live Art at The Barbican London https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2022/event/feminism-performance-with-artist-helena-walsh |
2021 |
Invited Speaker: Dialogue with Emma Campbell as part of Thinking Praxis in a Radically Altered World – Belfast School of Artand the MAC, Belfast |
2020 |
Invited Speaker: ENGAGE… conversations across performance studies and the maternal: Health Policy and Impact : https://performanceandthematernal.com/maternal-forums/ |
2019 |
Invited Speaker: Array Studios Symposium ‘If you don’t play the game, don’t make the rules’ at Jerwood Arts London |
2018 |
Invited Speaker: Border Patrollers. Live Art Development Agency London |
2013-2018 |
As a member of Speaking of IMELDA Helena Walsh presented at numerous events including:
- FLaK Seminar: Feminist Legal Studies, Queen Mary University (2016)
- TEDx UCL Women, annual conference at University College London (2016)
- Festival of Choice, Amnesty International London (2016)
- Key Note Performance at 1916: Home: 2016, National University Galway (2016)
- Queer Caff, New Cross London (2016)
- Pussy Patrons Feminist Performance Night, Limehouse Town Hall, London (2016)
- Second Annual Conference: What do Women Need?, Coalition to Repeal the 8th Amendment, Dublin (2015)
- Performance and Workshop as part of the exhibition From East to the Barbican, Barbican Centre London (2015)
- Directing Action’ as part of Performance Art Faction at ]performance s p a c e[, London
- Cross Cultural Live Art Project (CLAPP) at the Proud Archivist, London (2014)
- Festival of Choice, London in collaboration with Central American Women’s Network (CAWN) and Amnesty International (2014)
- AnarchoFeminist Conference, Queen Mary University, London (2014)
|
2017 |
Invited Speaker: Seeing Red: Menstrual Politics and Protest as part of the Gender, Sexuality and Violence Seminar, Courtauld Institute of Art |
2016 |
Invited Speaker: Motherhood and Live Art gathering at the Institute for the Art and Practice of Dissent at Home, Liverpool |
2015 |
Invited Speaker: Feminism and the Body: Current Practices, Mart, Dublin |
2015 |
Invited Speaker: Performance Art Faction, ]performance space[, London |
2013 |
Conference Paper, Performing Documents, Arnolfini, Bristol. |
2013 |
Invited Speaker: Conference on Irish Self-Portraiture, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon – Department of Science and Humanities. |
2012 |
Invited Speaker: The Pleasure of the Look: Gazing and Surveillance, Symposium, Royal College of Art, London. |
2012 |
Conference paper ‘Labour: Producing Potentials for Empowerment’ JAM: Journeys Through Media, Department of Film, Theatre and Television University of Reading Presentation on the ‘Expansion, Endurance and Durational Performance Panel. |
2012 |
Conference paper ‘Performing Processes: Live Art and Irish Culture’ at Symposium on Performance from the Visual Arts, The Lab, Foley Street, Dublin. |
2010 |
Presentation on Practice at the Centre For Creative Practices, Dublin. |
2010 |
Invited Speaker: Symposium on performance art practices, Graduate School of Creative Arts and Media (Gradcam), Dublin. |
2010 |
Conference Paper: ‘Hunger Turned in Rows’ at Double Dialogues Conference, The Hunger Artist: The Centre for Comparative Literature, University of Toronto. |
Exhibitions / Performances: |
2024 |
Performance and screening of Tender Morsels in collaboration with Áine Phillips, 126 Gallery, Galway. |
2024 |
Screening of Wholly Trinity: Abortion, Art and Activism in Ireland, a film in which I was interviewed made by Turner prize winners Array Collective, Alliance for Choice and the Open University, Irish Museum of Modern Art |
2023 |
Our Bodies in the Commons: performingbordersLIVE, Battersea Arts Centre, London |
2022 |
Convergence – Bbeyond and Live Art Ireland |
2020 |
Buttered Up – invited performer as part of Ain Phillips’ exhibition at Mart, Dublin |
2019 |
Curating Borderless Spaces at the Live Art Development Agency by Performing Borders Live |
2016 |
Scarred, Shifting and Sacred Sites: an evening of art, advocacy and performance, curated by Something Human for Autograph ABP: Rivington Place, London |
2016 |
Future Histories, Kilmainham Gaol curated by Niamh Murphy and Áine Phillips as part of the Arts Council of Ireland 2016 programme.http://www.artscouncil.ie/future-histories/ |
2015 |
Dublin Live Art Festival, Dublin |
2014 |
Cross Cultural Live Art Project, The Proud Archivist, London |
2014 |
Dublin Live Art Festival, Mart, Dublin |
2014 |
Feminist Hysteria, Loud and Western Building, London |
2014 |
Site Space at Winns Gallery, Walthamstow London |
2014 |
Discharge v Untouchable, The Flying Dutchman, London, curated by Franko B and Martin O’Brien |
2013 |
Daytime Drama, I’m With You, Rivington Place, London |
2013 |
Terminal, London– a 54-hour durational event curated by Something Human and Push. |
2013 |
Islington Exhibits, Ironmonger Row Baths, London. |
2013 |
Borderline Festival, Norwich.
|
2013 |
Solo performance at the Athenuem Theatre, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France. |
2012 |
I’m with you, at the Wide Open School, Hayward Gallery, London. |
2012 |
LABOUR, a live touring showcase London, Derry / Londonderry and Dublin. |
2011 |
The Fringe Out West, Strokestown House, Roscommon, Ireland. |
2011 |
I’m with you, Vogue Fabrics, London. |
2010 |
Right Here, Right Now, Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin, Ireland. |
2010 |
Transversal
- Block T - Dublin. |
2010 |
Response, Landsguard Fort, Felixstowe, UK. |
2010 |
‘I’m With You’ – Powerscroft
Rd, London. |
2010 |
‘I’m
With You’ at MKII Gallery, London. |
2009 |
‘I’m With You’ – Powerscroft
Rd, London. |
2007 |
Intimacy Across
Digital and Visceral Performance, George Wood Theatre, Goldsmiths University London. |
2007 |
Art Radionica
Lazareti, Dubrovnik, Croatia. |
2007 |
ZAZ Festival,
Israel - Performance Art Platform PAP, Tel Aviv / Jerusalem
/ Mitzpe Ramon |
2007 |
Rub
Me Up The Wrong Way, Contemporary Arts, Norwich. |
2007 |
Act
Art, London |
2007 |
Map Live, Carlisle. |
2007 |
The
National Review of Live Art, The Tramway Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland. |
2006 |
Within and Without,
Tulca Season of Visual Art, Galway, Ireland. |
2006 |
The Wormhole
Saloon IV, Whitechapel Gallery, London |
2006 |
Performing Rights
Library, Performance Studies International, Queen Mary University, London. |
2005 |
Tulca, Galway, Ireland. |
2005 |
Bodily Functions,
The Granary Theatre, Cork, Ireland. |
2005 |
Triode, Reception Art
Space, London. |
2004 |
Unexpected, The Shoreditch
Festival, London. |
2004 |
Artivisits Festival,
Peckham, London. |
2004 |
Besame Mucho,
Hoxton Hall, London. |
2002 |
The East End
Collaborations, London. |
2002 |
The National
Review of Live Art, The Arches,Glasgow, Scotland. |
2002 |
Eject,
Dolan’s Warehouse, Limerick, Ireland. |
2001 |
New Territories,
The Bell Table, Limerick, Ireland. |
2001 |
[De]Construct,
The Real Art Space, Limerick, Ireland. |
Teaching: |
2014 - present |
Senior Lecturer at the University of the Arts London |
2018 |
Teaching Associate, Performance Texts in Practice, The Department of Drama, Queen Mary University of London |
2015 |
Contextual Studies Tutor on Art Foundation Morley College, London |
2012 and 2011 |
Teaching Associate, Making Theatre Work, The Department of Drama, Queen Mary University of London. |
2010 and 2009 |
Visiting Artist / Lecturer on the Research and Methodologies Seminar,’ Chelsea College of Art and Design, London. |
2003 and 2002 |
Visiting Artist / Lecturer to the ‘Aesthetics in Performance Module,’ Limerick School of Art and Design, Ireland. |
Research Grants and Art Awards: |
2022 |
Seed funding from University of Brighton for The New Match Women, a 2022 collaborative film project with Kevin Biderman focused on the experiences of migrant women and non-binary cleaners (in development) |
2021 |
Arts Council of Ireland: Development Award for Tender Morsels, a collaborative film by Áine Phillips and Helena Walsh (release date January 2024) |
2021 |
University of the Arts, London funding for the Radical Pedagogies Project. |
2018 |
Network for Social Change grant for Speaking of IMELDA’s project Referendum Road |
2012 |
Arts Council of Ireland Project Award for the LABOUR exhibition |
2010 |
Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Beyond Text Award for the one-day conference ‘Gobsmacked: Getting Speechless in Performance’ held at Queen Mary University of London on the 20 / 11/ 2010. . |
2009 |
Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Doctoral Award of full fees and maintenance for three years. |
2002 |
Arts Council of Ireland Travel Award. |
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