No Rest For The Wicked (2004-present)

No Rest For The Wicked explores the cycle of labour endured by poor and working class women across 3 generations. Drawing from a Biblical Proverb the title signifies the seemingly unending struggle those bound to the grind of work face. This series is a visual commentary on the transformative nature of labour and its impact on the human spirit and body.

Through an intimate and reflective lens, O’Brien captures the lives of her grandmother, mother, and herself, weaving a narrative that spans decades of repetitive toil. The photographs present an unvarnished yet graceful portrayal of their dual existence - at work and home - quietly highlighting the often invisible labour that defines their lives.

O’Brien's work is reminiscent of Helga Paris' Frauen bei Der Arbeit, as it similarly venerates the quiet dignity of women engaged in labour. Yet, O’Brien’s series goes beyond mere documentation; it interrogates the essence of work as an endless cycle that transcends time and space. By juxtaposing images of domestic scenes with those of labour, she illuminates the perpetual and often harsh reality faced by poor and working class individuals.

In unravelling these narratives, No Rest For The Wicked reclaims the visibility of working class women and their stories, offering a poignant critique of a system that often erases their struggles. Through her compelling visuals, O’Brien archives her family's legacy and casts a critical eye on the systemic forces that confine workers to an endless circuit of labour within capitalism.

(Summary of work taken from an essay by author Cynthia Cruz, commissioned by Source Magazine)