2008 Woodie Awards
1078 Gallery offers outlet for artistic, religious expression
'Convergence' morphs spiritual icons into intricate creations through digital artistry
By: Kyndrah Carson
Issue date: 8/27/08 Section: Entertainment
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When: Through Sept. 13
Where: 1078 Gallery
At first glance, there seems to be few digital images mixed with the painting, but up close it is evident each piece has been carefully made with hundreds of pictures.
Artist Jeff Murphy's digital images build upon different religions and beliefs, more specifically, the Christian and Islamic traditions in Spain.
He took each photo at religious sites for "Convergence," which is now on display at 1078 Gallery.
"I like to think of myself as a seeker," Murphy said. "That I recover the meanings of things through my art."
As he has grown older, he has begun to question things in his life that he normally would not, such as religion and spirituality.
In each of his pieces, the hooded characters, in remembrance of the Passion of Christ, represent religious symbols.
The figures were photographed during Semana Santa in Sevilla, Spain, which is considered a holy week.
Digital photographs printed as large murals on canvas, cloth and paper form each piece.
Murphy's inspiration comes mostly from his strict Catholic upbringing, he said.
Most of Murphy's pieces focus on groups of people or statues, but the most distinctive piece in the collection incorporates his newborn son, who was about 1 month old when the picture was taken, he said.
The baby appears to be held by a goat-headed cement statue. The rest of the piece is made of crowed images of old, deteriorating buildings.
Other interesting pieces include a large mural of a statue with a long bird's beak protruding from its face. Jellyfish swarm the sky and the statue's eyes are rolled back as if it is trying to get a better look at them.
An image of the pope with a bird's beak and meerkat perched on top of his head is striking. The light blue-colored ocean is crystal clear and beautiful.
A statue of St. Francis of Assisi with a rhino's head is holding a gray cat. A black and white cat sits at the base of the statue and a huge building with many different stairways is on the side of a grassy hill in the background.
Sophomore Matt Palatinus stopped by the gallery when the images caught his eye, he said.
"I was just walking by and noticed the elaborate murals, so I decided to come in and take a peek," he said.
Many of the other pieces incorporated pictures of the Ku Klux Klan, ferocious dogs and vivid colors, but all are portrayed as holy images. Each piece makes a different statement, but all carry an equally impactful message.
Pat Macias, director of the gallery, began working as a volunteer in July 2007, and her devotion to the arts helped her climb the ranks, she said.
"Because we are nonprofit, we face a lot of challenges." Macias said. "Our only income is from the membership base and city grants."
Many diverse and intriguing artists have displayed their works at the gallery, and Murphy is no exception. He hopes his powerful images will bring in new appreciation and patrons.
Murphy teaches art at the University of North Carolina. His artwork has been displayed in solo galleries and museums and has appeared in several magazines.
Kyndrah Carson can be reached at
kcarson@theorion.com
Related links
1078 Gallery Web site
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