Published on the occasion of Jack O'Brien's most comprehensive exhibition to date, "Cue the Cue,"at the Kestner Gesellschaft, Hannover (April 26–July 20, 2025), this is his first monograph. Conceived by the artist himself as an artist's book, it complements the exhibition both formally and in terms of content, documenting his practice from 2021–2025. The monograph was developed as a conceptual artist's book and stands in direct relation to the magazine collages in the exhibition. The torn book cover, perforated paper pages, and a shoelace sealed under cellophane make the publication itself a sculptural gesture.
O'Brien negotiates themes such as staging, visibility, queer identity, and the circular dynamic between consumption, body, and performance. The title refers to the English "cue"—a theatrical cue—and at the same time to its repetition. This double meaning reflects O'Brien's working method, in which material, form, and gesture continually oscillate between suggestion and withdrawal, presence and dissolution. O'Brien works with found and discarded objects, which he transforms through gestures of wrapping, binding, and perforation. His sculptures, installations, and collages use industrial materials such as cellophane, shrink wrap, and synthetic textiles.
Please join us for the launch of Cue the Cue published by Bierke on Thursday 5 March from 6pm-8pm.