Kelley O’Brien

March 5-26, 2016

Kelley O’Brien, Refuge In Refuse, 2015, archival pigment print

Kelley O’Brien

O’Brien displays photos and videos that explore cultural identity in the Philippines. Created during the artist’s yearlong Fulbright residency, O’Brien’s work tells the story of the landfill in the capital city, Manila. As the population of Manila rapidly grows, so has the mountainous landfill of its refuse. This has created marginalized populations of informal settlers who survive by scavenging recyclables from the garbage, subsequently assisting the landfill’s continuous growth and maintenance. O’Brien’s work mythologizes the landfill’s creation, growth and current existence as a force of overpowering capitalism.

Kelley O’Brien (b. 1987) is an interdisciplinary artist who lives and works in Cleveland, OH, where she is the co-director of the alternative art space The Muted Horn She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Tennessee and an MF in Three-Dimensional Design from Cranbrook Academy of Art. In 2014 she was awarded a Fulbright residency in Quezon City, the Philippines.