Josef O'Connor

Josef O’Connor was born in 1990 in London, England and sold his first painting at the age of 13.[2] He was educated at Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School and Tiffin Boys School[4] before dropping out at 18 and starting "Pollocks", a digital art platform designed for young creatives to share and discuss their work online.[5][3]

In 2007, O'Connor launched the digital art platform "Pollocks" in an attempt to challenge the traditional gallery model, by providing a virtual space for young creatives to upload and share their work online.[6]

The exterior of 'Worthless' by artist Josef O'Connor (2009) in London.

In 2008, starting with the re-appropriation of empty retail space on London's Carnaby Street, O’Connor invited members of the public to contribute to the evolution of "Blank Canvas". The performance ran for two weeks, with live musical performances from Laura Marling[4] and Ladyhawke. Other notable contributors included Annie Lennox, Levi Palmer, Marc Quinn and photographer Rankin.[5] Later in the year, O’Connor exhibited alongside Marlene Dumas as part of the Free Art Fair[7] at The Barbican Centre in London.[3]

Inspired by the Global Financial Crisis, O’Connor presented 'Worthless', a live art installation that parodied the iconic retail giant Woolworths, the public was encouraged to submit their 'worthless' item and have it transformed into a work of art.[8] Once transformed, participants were invited to buy back the works, for the sum of money that they believed it was worth.[3][9][10][4]

In response to the 2010 General Election, O’Connor launched ‘Billbored’- a non-partisan viral art initiative that allowed the general public, artists and designers to submit a digital billboard artwork featuring their personal political slogans and manifestos for change.[11] Designs were projected in a guerilla campaign onto famous London landmarks, including Big Ben, Tate Modern, St Paul's Cathedral and The Bank of England.[12]

In 2012, O'Connor entered into the Gagosian Gallery's 'Spot Challenge'.[13] Utilizing social media with the #AVERAGEJOE hashtag, he crowdfunded £10,000 in a week to fund a trip around the world and making a global community of 286 shareholders the unlikely winners of a Damien Hirst Spot Print.[14] Mirroring a period of extreme disadvantage and political upheaval, O’Connor's multidisciplinary artwork is currently being made into a film.[15][1]

The West Pier illuminated with lasers (2010) curated by Josef O'Connor

To celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Tiger, O’Connor was commissioned by Heineken to curate a series of art installations across the UK.[16] Developing a concept in response to the elements of the Chinese Zodiac, O'Connor brought together a program that involved site-specific sculpture, performance and musical collaborations with William Orbit and Joe Rush. The project launched with O’Connor commissioning Creatmosphere to light up Brighton's iconic West Pier with 3D mapping and laser technology.[17] The structure was illuminated by computer controlled laser drawings to make it appear and disappear on the horizon. The image of the illuminated pier featured on the cover of the Evening Standard and Brighton and Hove Official Calendar, 2010.[18]

In 2010, to commemorate Summer Solstice, O’Connor was commissioned by Diesel to create a large-scale aerial sculpture that was architecturally constructed from over 5,000 helium balloons that were each illuminated by flashing L.E.D lights.[19][20]

In 2012, O’Connor was selected as one of the Top 25 inspiring talents from London's 1000 most influential people list, in association with Burberry and the Evening Standard.[21]

In 2013, O’Connor was publicly voted into The Guardian's 100 most influential and innovative people working across arts, culture and the creative industries in the UK, alongside artists Jeremy Deller and Mike Nelson.[22]

• Josef O'Connor – official site