Box of Paintings, 2022

There is an undergirding playfulness to Murphy’s work that nonetheless takes its objects and subjects very seriously. They all certainly have something to say, but what that is isn’t entirely clear – to the viewer or to the artist. Speaking on his...

There is an undergirding playfulness to Murphy’s work that nonetheless takes its objects and subjects very seriously. They all certainly have something to say, but what that is isn’t entirely clear – to the viewer or to the artist. Speaking on his new series of shoes with random objects attached, from genitalia to fruit, Murphy truly highlights what the experience of creating his work entails: “If you’re wondering how I decided to combine these images, join the club. I wish I could tell you, but that would require a level of self-knowledge that I have yet to attain. So instead, feast your eyes on some imagery that seems straight (well not that straight) out of a gay telenovela. Or a Tender Vittles moment gone horribly wrong (and fabulously right).” Murphy highlights his materials as a central theme to his work, painting his sketchbooks and recreating the images within, assembling tableaus from domestic spaces and those around him in candid, intimate moments. This overarching theme of world-building is central to the artist’s practice, while working with recurring objects and subjects: flowers, landscapes, diaries, the self, sailors, and even aliens. Though ranging across many extremes, a great sensitivity to color provides a connection that is distinctly his own. The artist’s palette bridges gaps between childlike curiosity and classical sensibilities; the absurd and the revered. Never shying away from bold colors set against neutral backgrounds, it is impossible to look away from the sheer vibrancy of the exhibition as a whole. Acrylic, flashe, oil on canvas