BIOGRAPHY
Born, 1975
Lives and works in Chicago
EDUCATION
2005 MFA, Fiber and Material Studies, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
1997 BA, Studio Art, Loyola University Chicago
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2011
The Renaissance Society at The University of Chicago, Chicago, May 2011
2009
Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York
Susanne Hilberry Gallery, Detroit
2008
Death Rattle, World Class Boxing, Miami
2007
the axis mundi, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago
2006
When Your Heart Is on Fire, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Locust Projects, Miami
2005
12 x 12, New Artists, New Work, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
A Fairy Tale, Curated by Jose Diaz and Nina Arias, Ingalls and Associates
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2010
Chicaco, Loyola University Museum of Art, New Icon, June 5 – August 1, 2010
Miami, World Class Boxing space of the Debra and Dennis Scholl Collection, Mystic Visage, June 12 – July 31, 2010, curated by Desiree Cronk
Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College, At Home/Not at Home: Works from the Collection of Martin and Rebecca Eisenberg, June 26 - December 19, 2010
2009
In Stitches, Curated by Beth Rudin DeWoody, Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller Gallery, New York,
Selected Works from the MCA Collection, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
An Expanded Field of Possibilities, Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa
Barbara, California
2008
Base:Object, Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York
Andy Coolquitt, Frank Haines, William J. O'Brien, Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna
Now You See It, Aspen Art Museum, Aspen, CO
Jesuvian Process, Elizabeth Dee Gallery, New York
2007
William O'Brien / Anthony Pearson, Marianne Boesky Gallery, Project Space, New York
Makers And Modelers, Barbara Gladstone Gallery, New York
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
So Wrong, I'm Right, Blum & Poe, Los Angeles
Stuff: International Contemporary Art from the Collection of Burt Aaron, Museum of
Contemporary Art, Detroit
2006
Modern Primitivism, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago
Josh Mannis, Eric Lebofsky, William J. O'Brien, Western Exhibitions, Chicago
MIXART, The James Hotel, Chicago
Pathetisize, Open End Gallery, Chicago, curated by Alex May
Champagne, Curated by Jose Diaz, Nina Menocal Projects, Mexico City
Cluster, Curated by Katie Holten, Participant, Inc, New York
2005
Certain People I Know, Curated by Tommy Everett, Margaret Thatcher Projects, New York
We Created a Monster, Curated by Frederick Janka, Nina Menocal Projects for Art Basel, Miami
CoDependent, Curated by Gean Moreno, The Living Room for Art Basel, Miami
Winter Group Show, Curated by Steph Pavone, Booster and Seven, Chicago
Eagle Hand's Moon and The Orange Savior, The Church of the Friendly Ghost, Austin
Summer Group Show, Curated by Steph Pavone, Contemporary Art Workshop, Chicago
Bilingual, Curated by Tracy Taylor, Ukranian Institute of Modern Art, Chicago
Drawn Out, Curated by Tracy Taylor, Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, Chicago
In Print2: Diamonds on Archer, Chicago
Macerate, Curated by Currency Exchange, Around the Coyote Gallery, Chicago
M.F.A. Thesis Exhibition, Gallery 2, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago
Stygine's Creek, Video Screening Curated by Ruba Katrib, Three-Walls Gallery, Chicago
Take My Hand, Curated by Ruba Katrib (Traveling), Nina Menocal Gallery, Mexico City
Appropriating Feminist Strategies, Gallery 1926, Chicago
Take My Hand, Curated by Ruba Katrib, Three-Walls Gallery, Chicago
2004
Night of 1,000 Drawings, Artist Space, New York
Click Formation, Open End Gallery, Chicago
The Pilot Conference, Symbology Bathroom, Chicago
The Affair, Jupiter Hotel, The Fresh-Up Club, Portland
Identity Crisis, Marshall Arts @ Delta Axis, Memphis
Art Poster Show, Objex Artspace, Miami
G2 Group Show, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago
Abracadabra, Rocket Projects, Miami
3 on 3, Straight Artists Curate 3 Gay Artists, Higher Gallery, Chicago
Eric Lebofsky, Josh Mannis, William O'Brien, 1/Quarterly Space, Chicago
Art Mule, The Stray Show, Chicago
Small Victories, Modest Contemporary Art Projects, Chicago
2003
La Superrette, Deitch Projects, Participant, Inc., New York
100% Cotton, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow
White Haute, Shaff Gallery, Chicago
2001
Annual Members Show, Greenwich House Pottery, New York
Out and About, Benefit Invitation Group Show, SPACES Gallery, Cleveland
1997
Undergraduate Thesis Show, Crown Center Gallery, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2010
Rondeau, James. "Emerging Artists," Frieze, January 2010
2009
Smith, Roberta. "Make Room for Video Performance and Paint," The New York Times, December 31, 2009
Trelles, Emma. "New Acquisitions add vigorous life to MAM collection," Palm Beach Arts Paper, August 31, 2009
2008
Vogel, Sabine B. "Picks: Vienna; Andy Coolquitt, Frank Haines, William J. O'Brien at Krinzinger Projekte," Artforum. May, 2008
2007
Yood, James. "William J. O'Brien: Shane Campbell Gallery," Artforum XLVI, No.4, 2007,
p. 360
Fry, Naomi. "Critics' Picks," Artforum, October 2, 2007.
Smith, Roberta. "It's Just Clay, but How About a Little Respect?," The New York Times, September 7, 2007.
2006
Moreno, Gean. "William J. O'Brien," Art Papers, March/April 2006.
2005
Jason A. Heidemann. "Out on the town…taking in queer culture," Time Out Chicago, October 20 – 27, 2005, p. 98.
"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, Grand Recipient
Vermont Studio Center, Full Fellowship Residency
Mellon Award, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago