Mark O’Kelly

Mark O’Kelly is Head of the Painting Department at the School of Fine Art, National College of Art and Design (NCAD), Dublin. He holds an MA from the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London (1992) and a BA from NCAD (1990). His studio practice explores materiality, representation, and public image cultures, with exhibitions globally. He is a member of the Arts Council of Ireland’s Council and the PARADOX European Forum for Fine Art Education.

Research interests include art education, curation, exhibition-making, and arts governance. He has curated exhibitions like Starting Over (2013) and contributed to initiatives such as the Creative Spaces Collective advocating for artists’ studios. His awards include the Arts Council Project Award (2015) and multiple bursaries.

As an educator, he has held roles at Limerick School of Art and Design, Cornish College of the Arts (Seattle), and NCAD. He lectures widely on topics like painting’s contemporary condition and art education, including panels at EVA International and the Royal Hibernian Academy. His works are in collections such as the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Arts Council of Ireland.

Key exhibitions include Empireland (2016), AGITATIONISM (2014), and Infrastructures of Now (2018). He advocates for arts infrastructure through governance roles and public talks, emphasizing the intersection of art, education, and urban spaces.