Liam Cassidy

It’s fair to say I am an interdisciplinary artist, but primarily I am a fiction writer, painter, and cartoonist. For me, there is no hierarchy of mediums. It just depends on what fits the subject. There is a common thread though; comedy. As the son of Irish immigrants, I inherited their rosy-cheeked brand of fatalism. But I was also raised with the particularly Irish mindset that a good joke can act as a cure-all in times of tragedy. I grew up with unmitigated access to comedy. Some may see my childhood as a case-study in overexposure to adult content, but I learned early on how to use humor as a tool to excavate joy from pain. Comedy is often derided in art-making. The intention of the artist is questioned because it’s assumed he is not serious about the subject. But there is truth in the laughable. It’s absurdity I take most seriously as an artist.