Artist Biography

︎Sharon Murphy
is a visual artist whose practice is lens-based incorporating photography, video and text. Her work investigates the boundaries between the seen / unseen, fictive / real, conscious / (sub)liminal. Drawing on a background in theatre and informed by concepts in magic realism and psychoanalysis, recurring motifs in her work include: theatre curtains; carousels; circus tents, performative sites; embodied  / disembodied staged spaces. Her works address uncertainty, the uncanny, the 'there / not there', linked to an investigation, quintessential to both photography and performance) of what it is the viewer is shown or is seeing.

Current Exhibition:
Mise en abyme (Solo,  Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris, curated by Nora Hickey M’Schilli).

https://www.centreculturelirlandais.com/en/whats-on/exhibitions-events/sharon-murphy-mise-en-abyme

Recent exhibitions: GOMA, Waterford, Limerick City Gallery, Draíocht, National Gallery of Ireland, RHA, Golden Thread Gallery Belfast, Halftone, PhotoIreland, Loop Festival, Barcelona. Murphy is a co-founding member of Shell/Ter Artist Collective (S/TAC). Upcoming exhibitions: RHA annual open, Limerick City Gallery & GOMA Waterford (S/TAC). CCI, Paris (solo). Her work is held is in private + public collections.

Curation Biography

Since 2010 Murphy has developed an Independent Curatorial Practice working  in Public Art/Per Cent for art as Commissioner and Producer (2010-2015), Draíocht Gallery as Curator in Residence (2017-2024), RDS Graduate Awards as long list curator (2020-2022) and as guest curator with Golden Thread Gallery Belfast (2019).  She has commissioned and developed twenty exhibitions and worked with over 100 artists. 



Artist Biography

Sharon Murphy is a visual artist whose practice is lens-based incorporating photography, video and text. Her work investigates the boundaries between the seen / unseen, fictive / real, conscious / (sub)liminal. Drawing on a background in theatre and informed by concepts in magic realism and psychoanalysis, recurring motifs in her work include: theatre curtains; carousels; circus tents, performative sites; embodied / disembodied staged spaces. Her works address uncertainty, the uncanny, the 'there / not there', linked to an investigation, quintessential to both photography and performance) of what it is the viewer is shown or is seeing.

Current Exhibition
Mise en abyme, Centre Culturel Irlandais, curated by Nora Hickey M’Schilli. https://www.centreculturelirlandais.com/en/whats-on/exhibitions-events/sharon-murphy-mise-en-abyme 

Recent exhibitions: GOMA, Waterford, Limerick City Gallery, Draíocht, National Gallery of Ireland, RHA, Golden Thread Gallery  Belfast, Halftone, PhotoIreland, Loop Festival, Barcelona. Murphy is a co-founding member of Shell/Ter Artist Collective (S/TAC). Upcoming exhibitions: RHA annual open, Limerick City Gallery & GOMA Waterford (S/TAC). CCI, Paris (solo). Her work is held in private + public collections.

Curation Biography


Since 2010 Murphy has developed an Independent Curatorial Practice working  in Public Art/Per Cent for art as Commissioner and Producer (2010-2015), Draíocht Gallery as Curator in Residence (2017-2024), RDS Graduate Awards as long list curator (2020-2022) and as guest curator with Golden Thread Gallery Belfast (2019).  She has commissioned and developed twenty exhibitions and worked with over 100 artists.

Self-Portrait in Nice (2008)





CV


Education 
Diploma History of European Painting (TCD, 2021)
BA Photography (IADT, 2014)
MA Drama (UCD, 1993)
BA English (NUIM, 1984)
Clore Fellow UK (2007/2008)


Artist Collective 
︎S/TAC: Shell/Ter Artist Collective (est. 2020) with Diana Copperwhite, Allyson Keehan, Niamh McGuinne and Geraldine O'Neill.

Studio  
︎DIVA Dun Laoghaire Institute for Visual Arts  




Exhibitions



SOLO AND 2/3 PERSON EXHIBITIONS


2024
November - ~December
Mise en abyme
Centre Culturel Irlandais, commissioned and curated by
Nora Hickey M’Sichili
https://www.centreculturelirlandais.com/en/whats-on/exhibitions-events/sharon-murphy-mise-en-abyme

2019
There and Not There with Victoria J. Dean at Siamsa Tire, Kerry curated by Sarah McAvera  

2018
There and Not There with Victoria J. Dean, Golden Thread Gallery curated by Sarah McAvera

2017
Stages solo exhibition at Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise.

2016
Moving On at solo exhibition DanceHouse, Dublin

White Gold at Gallery De Stoker, Amsterdam with duo Victoria Burgher and Johan vander Dong.


GROUP EXHIBITIONS


2024


October - November The Ties that Bind
(S/TAC Shell/Ter Artist Collective) at GOMA Waterford, curated by Jenna Whelan
https://www.gomawaterford.ie/exhibitions/the-ties-that-bind-goma-waterford-shell-ter-artist-collective-s-tac/

June 20 -Sept 2024

in a dream in the happy house
(S/TAC Shell/Ter Artist Collective) at Limerick City Gallery

https://gallery.limerick.ie/INADREAMINAHAPPYHOUSE.html

May - August 2024
194th RHA Annual Exhibition  


the ladder is always there  
(S/TAC Shell/Ter Artist Collective and invited emerging artists) at Draíocht Dublin, curated by S/TAC 
https://www.draiocht.ie/gallery/exhibition/the-ladder-is-always-there

2023
Shelter, National Gallery of Ireland (Print and Drawing Galleries) curated by Anne Hodge (S/TAC artist’s Collective and invited artists and works from the NGI Collection). July - November 2023
https://www.nationalgallery.ie/art-and-artists/exhibitions/shelter

DIVA,  Dun Laoghaire Institute Visual Arts - Group Exhibition
 
RHA (invited Artist) 193rd Annual Exhibition 

2022
RHA, 192nd Annual Exhibition.

2021
RHA, 191st Annual Exhibition.

2020
RHA, 190th Annual Exhibition.

2019
Aoife/Cordelia, Search of Her Own Image at RHA, 189th Annual Exhibition.

2018

Halftone, Library Project, Photo Ireland.

RUA 137th Annual Exhibition.

RHA, 188th Annual Exhibition.

Silent Stage at Kukiskes, Lithuania (Yaga Festival). Curators, Mona Casey and Tadas Stalyga.

2017

Homeland at Loop Festival Barcelona and Damer House, Tipperary.

2016/2017

Dog Days at Dunamaise arts Centre. Curators, Therry Rudden and Patricia Hurl.

2016

Group Show at Golden Thread Gallery (Curator Philip McCrilly).

2015/2016

Group show at Dunamaise Arts Centre selected by Eamon Coleman.

Phrases at RUA 134th Annual Exhibition.

2015

Saw Dust curated by Francis Fay at MART, Dublin.

Chasing Shadows at Gallery X, Dublin.

There Was a Child at Loop festival, Damer House Tipperary and Barcelona Loop Festival.

Saibhreas at Damer House Gallery/Dunamaise Arts Centre (Curator, Muireann Ni Chonaill).

Home at DLR Lexicon, Dun Laoghaire (Curator, Mark St John Ellis).

2014/15

Intervals at Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition.

Selkie I at RUA 133rd Annual Exhibition, Belfast

2014

Ingrained Graduate show at Moxie Studios and DLR IADT.




Awards


2024
Recipient of the Artist Professional Development award from Bealtaine Featival Age and Opportunity

2023
Recipient of Individual Artist Grants from Carlow Co Co Arts Office and Dun Laoghaire Co Co Arts Office
 
2022
Recipient of the Artists Residency (visual arts) Award Centre Culturel Irlandais Paris

Recipient of Artists Bursary Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Co Co Arts Office

2020
Art Council Professional Development Award

2020
Carlow Co Co Arts Grant (R&D Project Award for new series In Search of Her Own Image)

2019
Arts Council Travel and Training Award Royal Academy London

2018

Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Co Co Arts Grant (Professional Development Award)

2016

Arts Council Travel & Training Award to Rencontres d’Arles, France

2015/2016

The Golden Thread Gallery Belfast Artists’ Career Enhancement Programme

2014

Dunmaise Arts Centre/Laois Arts Office, artist residency award, Arthouse

Short-listed for Inspirational Arts Award in Photography at DLR IADT




Residencies


2023
Artists Residency at CCI, Paris
month long residency (September) 

2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Tyrone Guthrie Centre Residencies  
2017

Artist’s Studio Residency Award, Draíocht  

2015–2016

Artist in Residence Dublin Youth Contemporary Dance Company DYDC  

2015

Artist in Residence MART Project Space Award, Rathmines Dublin 6  

2015

Artist in Residence Award Laois Arthouse and Dunamaise Arts Centre



Featured


2024
Ultra Viiolet Talks with Caren O’Sullivan, a studio interview https://www.instagram.com/p/DBGuzPNsFbe/

2023

Irish Arts Review Autumn  
‘but here alone’ a feature by Stephanie McBride on Sharon Murphy’s current practice

https://www.irishartsreview.com/articles/but-here-alone/  

2022
192nd RHA Annual featured in ‘Desiring Drapery’ essay in Exhibition Catalogue

2020 and 2019
189th and 190th RHA Annual, included in exhibition catalogue

2019
The Irish Times, RHA Annual Review (photography) by Aidan Dunne

2016 
︎Art Reveal 12, 2016 pp 52 – 57




© Sharon Murphy 2024