Susan MacWilliam (b.1969)

An Answer is Expected (2013)

Born in Belfast in 1969, Susan MacWilliam represented Northern Ireland at the 2009 Venice Biennale. She is a lecturer in Fine Art at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin. Her video works are held in the British Library Sound Archive. MacWilliam was artist in residence on the PS1 International Studio Programme, New York in 1999/2000 and has worked on residencies in Ireland, Trinidad, Slovenia, America and Canada.

Working with video, photography and installation MacWilliam’s work explores obscure and overlooked histories and considers perceptual phenomena and the world of the paranormal and super sensory. Working as both observer and participant MacWilliam has worked closely with prominent parapsychologists and psychical research institutions, including poltergeist investigator Dr William G. Roll and the Dermo Optical Perception Laboratory of Madame Yvonne Duplessis, Paris. Her sustained engagement with the New York family of the Irish born medium Eileen Garrett has resulted in the production of five video works.

AN ANSWER IS EXPECTED is a body of sculpture and video work, which considers the historic and ground-breaking experimental ESP (Extra Sensory Perception) and telepathy work of parapsychologist Dr J.B. Rhine (1895-1980). This piece from that body of work is made from yellow gold neon and considers human curiosity, and our quest for answers and proof.