This exhibition surveys the last decade of artistic production by Margaret Murphy, an accomplished painter based in Jersey City, New Jersey. Murphy’s vibrant paintings of mass produced objects represent her reflections on consumerism, religion, and gender roles. A deck of cards, a 99-cent store figurine, or a domestic print all find their way into her paintings in provocative and conceptually meaningful ways. Approximately forty select works will include paintings from several important series: The Tarot Cards Series (1997-2000), the Henna Hands series (2001), The Sweet 16 series (2005 – 2007), The Parlor Paintings (2006-2007), Celebration (2008 – 2009), and The Fragments series (2010). Seen together for the first time the paintings and mixed-media works on paper demonstrate Murphy’s consistent engagement in feminist critique of the American commodity culture.
An illustrated catalog of the exhibition will be available.
For further information on the artist, please visit www.margaret-murphy.com
The exhibition will travel to Kresge Foundation Gallery of Ramapo College of New Jersey from March 28 to May 2, 2012, and be available after that period.