(b. 1975, lives in Chicago, IL)       

EDUCATION:

2005    M.F.A. Fiber and Material Studies, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL

1997    B.A. Studio Art, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL

ONE-PERSON EXHIBITIONS:

2009

Susanne Hilberry Gallery, Detroit, MI

Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, NY

Gallery Min Min, Tokyo, Japan

2007   

the axis mundi, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago, IL

2006    

When Your Heart Is on Fire, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Locust Projects, Miami, FL

2005   

12 x 12, New Artists, New Work, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL

A Fairy Tale, Curated by Jose Diaz and Nina Arias, Ingalls and Associates, Miami, FL

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

2009

Selected Works from the MCA Collection, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL

An Expanded Field of Possibilities, Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA

Reskilling, Western Front Exhibitions, Vancouver, Canada

2008

Now You See It, Aspen Art Museum, Aspen, CO

Sara Barker, Patrick Hill, Matthew Monahan, William J. O'Brien, Sterling Ruby, Andrea Rosen Gallery, Gallery 2, New York, NY

Andy Coolquitt, Frank Haines, William J. O'Brien, Krinzinger Projekte, Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna, Austria

Jesuvian Process, Elizabeth Dee, New York, NY

2007   

William J. O’Brien/Anthony Pearson, Project Space, Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, NY

Makers and Modelers: Works in Ceramic, Gladstone Gallery, New York, NY

Sonotube® Forms: Contemporary Art and Transport, Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA

Jesse Chapman, Aliza Nisenbaum, William J. O’Brien, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago, IL

So Wrong, I’m Right, Blum & Poe, Los Angeles, CA

Stuff: International Contemporary Art from the Collection of Burt Aaron, Museum of Contemporary Art, Detroit, MI

2006   

Modern Primitivism, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago, IL

Josh Mannis, Eric Lebofsky, William J. O’Brien, Western Exhibitions, Chicago, IL

MIXART, The James Hotel, Chicago, IL

Pathetisize, Curated by Alex May, Open End Gallery, Chicago, IL

Champagne, Curated by Jose Diaz, Nina Menocal Projects, Mexico City, MX

Cluster, Curated by Katie Holten, Participant, Inc, New York, NY

2005   

Certain People I Know, Curated by Tommy Everett, Margaret Thatcher Projects, New York, NY

We Created a Monster, Curated by Frederick Janka, Nina Menocal Projects for Art Basel, Miami, FL

CoDependent, Curated by Gean Moreno, The Living Room for Art Basel, Miami, FL

Winter Group Show, Curated by Steph Pavone, Booster and Seven, Chicago, IL

Eagle Hand’s Moon and The Orange Savior, The Church of the Friendly Ghost, Austin, TX

Summer Group Show, Curated by Steph Pavone, Contemporary Art Workshop, Chicago, IL

Bilingual, Curated by Tracy Taylor, Ukranian Institute of Modern Art, Chicago, IL

Drawn Out, Curated by Tracy Taylor, Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, Chicago, IL

In Print2:  Diamonds on Archer, Chicago, IL

Macerate, Curated by Currency Exchange, Around the Coyote Gallery, Chicago, IL

M.F.A. Thesis Exhibition, Gallery 2, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Stygine’s Creek, Video Screening Curated by Ruba Katrib, Three-Walls Gallery, Chicago, IL

Take My Hand, Curated by Ruba Katrib (Traveling), Nina Menocal Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico

Appropriating Feminist Strategies, Gallery 1926, Chicago, IL

Take My Hand, Curated by Ruba Katrib, Three-Walls Gallery, Chicago, IL

2004   

Night of 1,000 Drawings, Artist Space, New York, NY

Click Formation, Open End Gallery, Chicago, IL

The Pilot Conference, Symbology Bathroom, Chicago, IL

The Affair, Jupiter Hotel, The Fresh-Up Club, Portland, OR

Identity Crisis, Marshall Arts @ Delta Axis, Memphis, TN

Art Poster Show, Objex Artspace, Miami, FL

G2 Group Show, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Abracadabra, Rocket Projects, Miami, FL

3 on 3, 3 Straight Artists Curate 3 Gay Artists, Higher Gallery, Chicago, IL

Eric Lebofsky, Josh Mannis, William O’Brien, 1/Quarterly Space, Chicago, IL

Art Mule, The Stray Show, Chicago, IL

Small Victories, Modest Contemporary Art Projects, Chicago, IL

2003   

La Superrette, Deitch Projects, Participant, Inc., New York, NY

100% Cotton, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Scotland

White Haute, Shaff Gallery, Chicago, IL

2001   

Annual Members Show, Greenwich House Pottery, New York, NY

Out and About, Benefit Invitation Group Show, SPACES Gallery, Cleveland, OH

1997   

Undergraduate Thesis Show, Crown Center Gallery, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Jacobson, Heidi Zuckerman. "Now You See It: Paintings That Demand a Second Look." Aspen Magazine, Holiday 2008-09.

Oksenhorn, Stewart. "'Blindness Isn't an Option.'" Aspen Times, December 18, 2008, Entertainment section.

Jacobson, Heidi Zuckerman, Peter Eleey, Jeremy Sigler, George Stranahan, and Paul Valery. Now You See It. Aspen: Aspen Art Press, 2008.

Taft, Catherine. "'Base: Object,' Andrea Rosen Gallery." Artforum.com. http://www.artforum.com/archive/id=21479 (accessed November 20, 2008).

Dault, Julia. "Akimblog: New York City." Akimbo. http://www.akimbo.biz/akimblog/?id=242 (accessed November 19, 2008).

NY Art Beat Events. "'Base: Object' Exhibition." NY Art Beat.com. http://www.nyartbeat.com/event/2008/2F2A (accessed October 25, 2008).

Seckler, Judy. "Review: Makers and Modelers: Works in Ceramic." Ceramics Monthly April (2008): 24-26. 

Vogel, Sabine B. "Andy Coolquitt, Frank Haines, William J. O'Brien: Krinzinger Projekte." Artforum.com. http://artforum.com/archive/id=20131

    (accessed May 5, 2008). 

Tranberg, Dan. "Review: 'Out of Sight' at Front Room Gallery, Cleveland." Beautiful/Decay. http://www.beautifuldecay.com/anthology.php

    (accessed April 29, 2008). 

Grabner, Michelle. "Makers and Modelers: Works in Ceramic." X-Tra 10, No. 3 (2008): 54.

Sonnenborn, Katie. "Makers and Modellers." Frieze 113 (2008): 182. 

Yood, James. “William J. O’Brien: Shane Campbell Gallery.” Artforum XLVI, No. 4 (2007): 360.

Darwent, Charles. "Reviews: Makers and Modelers: Works in Ceramic." Crafts Magazine for Contemporary Art November/December (2007): 68. 

Smith, Roberta. "Museum and Gallery Listings: 'Makers and Modelers: Works in Ceramic.'" New York Times, September 28, 2007, Art & Design

    section.

Fry, Naomi.  “'Makers and Modelers,' Gladstone Gallery.” Artforum.com. http://artforum.com/archive/id=17964 (accessed September 10, 2007).

Smith, Roberta. “It’s Just Clay, but How About a Little Respect?” New York Times, September 7, 2007, Weekend Arts, Fine Arts/Leisure section.

Weinberg, Lauren. “Lebofsky, Mannis, and O’Brien.” Time Out Chicago, June 29-July 6, 2006.

“Dan Devening Editions, William J. O’Brien.” Chicago Social, May 2006.

“Dan Devening Editions at Art Chicago: William J. O’Brien.” Time Out Chicago, May 2006.

Moreno, Gean. “William J. O’Brien.” Art Papers March/April (2006).

Tyson, Josh. “Group Show: Booster and Seven.” Time Out Chicago, December 15-29, 2005.

Rosenfeld, Kathryn. “The Inner Light, Absurdity and the Tactics of Perversion: William J. O’Brien.” CAC Chicago Artists’ News December (2005).

Heidemann, Jason A. “Out on the Town…Taking in Queer Culture.” Time Out Chicago, October 20-27, 2005.

Davis, Andrew. “Gay Artist Featured at MCA.” Windy City Times, October 2005.

Pesanti, Heather. Macerate, catalogue essay, May 2005.

Nusser, Madeline. “Macerate.” Time Out Chicago, June 16-23, 2005.

Hawkins, Margaret. “Take My Hand.” Chicago Sun-Times, February 4, 2005, Weekend section.

“Gay Broken Hearts.” Genre Magazine, September Issue.

“Girls, Boys, Pop Music.” Teen Vogue, December/January Issue.

AWARDS:

Artadia: The Fund for Art & Dialogue, 2007 Chicago Finalist, Grant Recipient

Vermont Studio Center, Full Fellowship Residency

Mellon Award, Loyola University Chicago

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS:

Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan