Devonian Dreams: The Imagery of Art Murphy
"Art [Murphy] has created an exquisite body of work that one minute transports us into feeling we are truly underwater, exploring for hidden treasures at the bottom of the inland sea, and then another that might remind us of ancient life forms, marine invertebrates that existed all those years ago. The images have a softness and subtlety of color that seem unlikely for such crusty remnants of old age. They are, quite simply, beautiful."
--aCurator
"The work is both stunning and surprising at the same time. I was amazed how a very old piece of rock can be exquisitely beautiful and thought-provoking. With Art [Murphy], it is the totality of experience, not just the taking of a photograph. It is also the hiking and the discovery, followed by splitting open the chosen rocks to see what treasure are held inside."
----Louisa Curtis, Photo District News
Devonian Dreams: The Imagery of Art Murphy at Museum of the Earth, September 23
Devonian Dreams: The Imagery of Art Murphy, an exhibition of photographs by Catskill photographer Art Murphy, is scheduled to open on September 23 at the Museum of the Earth in Ithaca, New York. The work consists of images taken of 380-million-year-old fossils found by Art in and around his home in the Hudson Valley. The opening is set to coincide with Treasures of the Earth: The Nature of Collecting, an exhibit of the stories behind some of the world-class specimens in the Museum's permanent collection. Both exhibitions will be on display through early January 2012.
A lifelong artist and photographer, Art Murphy quite literally stumbled over a rock containing a fossil a number of years ago after relocating from Manhattan to his current home. Captured by its sculptural beauty and intrigued by the accompanying story of distant natural history, Art began photographing fossils as he found them. Little did he know at the outset that he lived in an area unusually dense in Devonian fossils. Thus began this long term project, part of which comprises this exhibition.
Art follows in the tradition of many other artists who have, in one way or another, been captivated by the landscape of the region, and have sought to reflect that beauty in their work. His images of early marine invertebrate fossils are distinctly different from typical images of museum specimens. Rather than taking a scientific approach, Art's images infuse these small creatures with a richness and a monumentality more likely found in studio portraiture.
His background as an editorial photographer and his experiences as a painter and commercial retoucher combine to produce work that is being embraced not only by the art community, but by the science community as well. The intersection of science and art is foremost in this work.
Three of his images are also currently on display at the New York Hall of Science in
Queens, New York. And he has recently returned from Italy where he photographed fossils from the permanent collection of the Natural History Museum of Florence.
As part of the Museum’s Meet the Artist and Natural History at Noon series, Art Murphy will be joined by Dr. Chuck Ver Straeten, Devonian geologist at the New York State Museum, for a gallery talk examining the art and science of the 380-million-year-old fossils in Devonian Dreams: The Imagery of Art Murphy. Explore various scientific and aesthetic aspects of the fossils portrayed in these photographs as well as Devonian life and its environments. Art will be speaking about his process, from searching for the fossils to his particular photographic techniques. The preservation of fossils will also be discussed.
About the Museum of the Earth
The Museum of the Earth, established in 2003, is part of the Paleontological Research Institution (PRI). PRI is dedicated to scholarly research, public education, and preservation of one of the ten largest research collections in the United States.
Come explore the Earth’s past and understand your role in its present and future through a unique mix of natural history displays, interactive science features, and art exhibitions. Touch and feel history through hands-on exploration of fossils and dinosaurs at Discovery Labs. View more than 650 specimens from PRI’s world-class collections, including the skeletons of the Hyde Park Mastodon and Right Whale No. 2030. Enjoy the 500-foot art mural, Rock of Ages, Sands of Time. Also visit Cayuga Nature Center – the outdoor nature experience of PRI and its Museum of the Earth. PRI is affiliated with Cornell University. The Museum of the Earth and the Cayuga Nature Center are proud members of the Discovery Trail.
For more information, contact Cassie Mundt, Marketing Manager, 607.273.6623 x26, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
