Often working under the moniker Mocksim, my artistic practice involves interference with everyday functional processes: misuse, misunderstanding, lampooning, and tinkering with technological systems. These range from photographic, surveillance, bureaucratic and digital systems to heavier infrastructures like transport networks. Imagery, data, digital or physical readymades are exhibited directly. Found elements might be incorporated into live events or signature moving-image works. Documentation of the original performative interventions is often shared along with instructions or 'tutorials'.

My exhibition System Interference (2022), supported by Irish Arts Council awards, toured from Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre to Wexford Arts Centre and Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda accompanied by John Roberts’ Art, Misuse and Technology: Micheál O’Connell’s ‘System Interference’. Other work has been shown at Whitechapel Art Gallery (London), Lighthouse (Brighton), Wandesford Quay Gallery (Cork), and internationally, with Contra-Invention invited to Les Rencontres d’Arles, included in From Here On (Barcelona), longlisted for the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize, and featured in Martin Parr’s Best Books List. I am a member of ABC Artists’ Books Cooperative and longstanding collective, The London Group.

Writing and meaning-making stem from four overlapping areas of experience:

1. Fine-art / post-conceptual art activity
2. Industry work: coding algorithms, simulation, systems dynamics
3. Political economy, and community activism
4. Dramaturgical, in particularly comedy

See Research Interests for more details.