Katherine Murphy
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
My practice investigates various aspects of the world of work in order that a greater understanding of employment and its role in our lives can be understood. The medium I use for this investigation is action/gesture or less specifically; work. I use this methodology of medium within the (exterior) working world or within the (interior) studio environment. From the exterior, I process and distil the experience had into the display seen in the gallery context. From the interior, the work is more a process in itself and may or may not resolve to a galleried display. I use myself as the vehicle and the site for this action/gesture or work. As a consequence of my own experience and knowledge the work concentrates on the lower paid or minimum wage workers of the UK; the workforce, and is greatly informed by my experience of the work (and the roles within work) that society sets aside for women.
It is the constant repetition of a working system, no matter how destructive, that normalises it for an employee, I use similar methods of repetition in order to highlight this effect.
Currently, I am performing seemingly redundant work tasks in a repetitious manner as a means to investigate the very physical nature of work.
Repetition, being so integral to the action/gesture or work, thus becomes an important aspect of the display. Repetition is apparent within the thinking, performing and making of the work/display. Repetition is an integral part of the human existence; our lives are structured through our repeated acts.
CV
2007/09
Master of Fine Art; Fine Art Media
The Slade School of Fine Art
2007 -
Awarded AHRC Postgraduate Professional Preparation Masters scheme award
for the total period of the MFA
2003/06
BA Fine Art (1st Class Honours)
Swansea Institute, Swansea
1994/97
BA Drama and Classical Studies
St. Mary’s University, Twickenham
Group Exhibitions
Jerwood National Tour: October 2010 – June 2011
Jerwood Drawing Prize: September 2010, Jerwood Space, London
Here and again: May 2010, Patrick Heide Contemporay Art, London
Slade MFA Degree Show: June 2009, Slade School of Fine Art, London
Graduating/exhibiting artist
Hull Print Project: May 2009 – ongoing, Primary Health Care Centre, Hull
Exhibiting artist for ongoing commission from Primary Health Care Centre, Hull for 3 original prints, contributing artists include: Edward Allington, Jo Volley, Estelle Thompson, Gary Woodley, Klaas Hoek, James Keith.
Interim Show: September - October 2008, Woburn Research Centre, London
Exhibiting artist
The Body Project: April 2008, Woburn Research Centre, London
Exhibiting artist for three-day inter-disciplinary symposium/workshop
KunstVlaai A.P.I.: May 2008, Westergasfabriek, Netherlands
Exhibiting artist for group exhibition as part of this International Art Fair
'Proof' Degree Show: June 2006, Dynevor Centre for Art and Design, Swansea
Catalogue Organisation/Fundraiser and exhibiting artist
Citywide: May 2006, Swansea City
Co-organiser and exhibiting artist for this collaborative events-based project across Swansea city
'Titled': January 2006, Mission Gallery, Swansea
Exhibiting artist for this experimental film exhibition
'Artists Rolls': November 2005, Mission Gallery, Swansea
Exhibiting artist
'Difference': June 2005, Swansea Institute, Swansea
Exhibiting artist for second year degree show
'Verdi's': May 2004, Verdi's Café, Swansea
Exhibiting artist
'Art D’œuvres': May 2004 – June 2004, Pontardawe Arts Centre, Pontardawe
Co-Curator and exhibiting artist for first year degree show
Film and Video
'Blue Room': May 2009, 16mm film, 6 mins
Writer/Producer/Director/Camera/Lighting/Editor
'Blue': February 2006, video, 4 mins
Writer/Producer/Camera
'Burger King': November 2003, Digibeta, 8 mins
Co-Writer/Co-Producer/Co-Director. Winner of Croydon Council 2003 Film Festival 'Best Director' award, shown at many international film festivals.
'Relent': November 2000, 16mm film, 8 mins
Co-Writer/Co-Producer/Co-Director. Premiered at the 13th London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, shown at many international film festivals.
'Intifada': July 1997, Digibeta, 12 mins
Writer/Producer/Director
Collaborations
Oak Gall Book Project: May 2009 – ongoing, London
Co-founder and contributing artist for this collaborative project to build a book of drawings made entirely from Oak Gall ink that the artists themselves made from Oak Galls they collected.
Framework Artists Collective: October 2006 – September 2007, Swansea
Co-founding member and artist contributor. Framework sought to instigate and support an artists community within the South Wales area, specific support was given to graduating students. Framework continues to this day.
Exposure Gallery: August 2006 – December 2006, Swansea
Gallery volunteer and ideas generator
TACSI Arts Publication: December 2003 – January 2005, Swansea
Founding member and artist contributor
Collections
Private collections in London, Paris and New York