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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.

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.

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.

Studios 
︎DIVA Dun Laoghaire Institute for Visual Arts and member of the Darkroom Studio, Dublin.



Exhibitions


UPCOMING


2023 
National Gallery of Ireland (Print and Drawing Galleries) shelter, curated by Anne Hodge (S/TAC artist’s Collective and invited artists and works from the NGI Collection).

Artists Residency at CCI, Paris to develop a new series but here alone; carousels and the uncanny.

2023/24 
New Works (S/TAC Artist’s Collective and invited emerging artists) at Draíocht Dublin.


SOLO AND 2/3 PERSON EXHIBITIONS


2019
There and Not There with Victoria J. Dean at Siamsa Tire, Kerry (Curator Sarah McAvera).

2018
There and Not There with Victoria J. Dean, Golden Thread Gallery (Curator 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


2022
From the series but here alone at RHA, 192nd Annual Exhibition.

2021
From the series Now You See Me at RHA, 191st Annual Exhibition.

2020
Untitled X, The Return at RHA, 190th Annual Exhibition.

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

2018
Untitled IX, There Was A Child at Halftone, Library Project, Photo Ireland.

Aoife/Cordelia In Search of Her Own Image at RUA 137th Annual Exhibition.

Diptych, There Was a Child at 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


2022
Recipient of the Artists Residency (visual arts) Award Centre Culturel Irlandais Paris

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
2021, 2022
CCI, Paris 

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


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 2023