Bill Beirne is best known for his video installations and performance work, which are most often sociologically based. Beginning with the “street-works” movement of the late sixties and early seventies his installations sought to move the immediacy of street performance into the art context through video surveillance and sculptural means.
Beirne studied painting and sculpture at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn New York with Milton Resnic, Phillip Pavia and Louise Bourgeois. (BFA 1968) and with Robert Morris at Hunter College (MA, Studio Art, 1974)
Selected exhibitions include; The Whitney Museum of American Art, (1979, 1991) The International Center of Photography 1993 and 1994), The Sculpture Center (1994) The PS1 Contemporary Art Center (1976, 1977, 1979, 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2007) The New Museum (1981) in New York. Additional exhibitions include, A Space, Toronto the List Visual Arts Center at MIT, The TV Gallery, Moscow, Contemporary Art Center Odessa and Art 3, Valence Fr.
In addition to screenings and lecturers at museums and galleries in the US and Europe, Beirne has been a Visiting Artist and Artist in residence at Colgate University, NYU, MIT, Pratt Institute, University of New Mexico, Buffalo University and Indianapolis University – Perdue.
Beirne is the recipient of artists Fellowships from The New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Education experience includes Director of Video Ink, for the New York City Department of Education, Adjunct Instructor, Video (Graduate Division) New York University and Visiting Assistant Professor, Pratt Institute, School of Art & Design (2005-)