KELLY O'BRIEN

No Rest For The Wicked explores the cycle of labour endured by poor and working class women across three generations. Drawing from a Biblical Proverb the title signifies the seemingly unending struggle those bound to the grind of work face. This series is a visual commentary on the transformative nature of labour and its impact on the human spirit and body.
 

Through an intimate and reflective lens, O’Brien captures the lives of her grandmother, mother, and herself, weaving a narrative that spans decades of repetitive toil. The photographs present an unvarnished yet graceful portrayal of their dual existence - at work and home - quietly highlighting the often invisible labour that defines their lives.

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Kelly O'Brien is an artist, researcher and educator from Derby, currently living and working in the UK.
Kelly's Irish immigrant, poor working class background shapes her multidisciplinary practice, reflecting the complex experiences of interconnectivity, as well as the nuanced politics of in/visibility that continually influence the themes and perspectives she explores in her work.

www.kelly-o-brien.com