Bern O'Donoghue East Sussex, United Kingdom

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I'm a Brighton based socially engaged artist addressing social and political issues. I explore the means by which simple artistic activities can be catalysts for progressive change. I involve members of the public in immersive projects, which examine the power of words to shape perception.

Connection and permission are recurring themes in the work I make through socially engaged, process led practice. Since 2015 I have used data collection, everyday materials and community engagement to build installations to challenge myths and misinformation about refugees and migrants. I seek to explore nuanced debate with members of the public about difficult topics which affect us all, building installations with museum visitors from the artworks I make in my own home. This work is made from paper or fabric, each single item representing a person who has died crossing the Mediterranean by boat in search of a better life.