John Byrne

Who is John Byrne?

John Byrne is an artist born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, now living in Dublin. He went to art college in Belfast, then to the Slade School of Art in London in the mid-1980s. There he began to practice as a performance artist, gallery as well as theatre based, addressing identity and issues around the conflict in Northern Ireland.

After moving to Dublin in 1996, he performed A Border Worrier as part of the 1997 Theatre Festival. In 2000 he produced Border Interpretative Centre, a visitor centre and souvenir shop on the border which attracted media attention on its opening. It was a neon decorated simple breezeblock structure located on the border, on the main Belfast-Dublin road. Although it was forced to close after less than a week, it was documented in a series of Gallery shows in Dublin, in Belfast and in Berlin.

In 2003 Byrne produced a 12 minute video, Would you die for Ireland?, recording his tour around Ireland asking people on the street whether they were prepared to make ‘the ultimate sacrifice’. Most participants were members of the public, but also included the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and members of the Orange Order. The piece was made in response to a commissioned group show for Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin, marking the bi-centenary of Robert Emmet's rebellion and execution in 1803. The work examines ideas around patriotism and nationalism.