hpgrp gallery presents

Margaret Murphy's
Celebration
A sweet nostalgia for (allegedly) better times, with
artistic cues taken from idyllic town Celebration, Florida.

Opening Reception: Thursday, May 28, 6-8pm

hpgrp gallery New York
32-36 Little West 12th Street, 2nd Floor
(between Ninth Av. & Washington St.)
212.727.2491 // http://hpgrpgallery.com

Artist's statement:

Using the town of Celebration, Florida as my inspiration, I am exploring the nostalgic and contradictory nature of contemporary life as evidenced by mass-produced objects, documentary photography and decorative motifs.

As always, the contraditions of contemporary life are what interest me. Using the ubiquitous 99 cent store figurines as protagonists, I created a contemporary Altar painting depicting a typical American family as the witnesses to the crucified Christ. This family consists of parents in their wedding attire, an oversized baby, adorable siblings and the family dog. The triptych format is a nod to Altar paintings of the past.

Love is explored through the two large paintings of couples looking dreamingly into the distance wearing old-fashioned clothing but with a hint of contemporary life peeking through in their accessories.

The series of smaller mixed media works on paper (silk screen, digital print and acrylic paint on paper) take the idea of contradictions a step further by contrasting photographic images of urban life: a Katrina trailer park or the U.S./Mexican border against an idealized and sentimental painting of a figurine. Using the same decorative motif thoughtout the works in the show creates a dialogue between the works.

- Margaret Murphy