Local artist explores the intersection between science and art
“The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.” – Henry Miller
Science and Art. While they may seem like polar opposites — Science focused on uncovering hard facts and Art, a personal interpretation of the world around us — scientists and artists are both searching for connections between us and our world. Some of our most famous names in history understood this so well. Think Leonardo da Vinci.
A local contemporary artist, Deirdre Murphy, has also been exploring this connection in her own work where she studies the complexities of relationships whether they be groups of birds, clusters of stars or geometric shapes. Her most recent work has investigated the migratory flight patterns of birds and how they have been affected by climate change.
Murphy explained that she has been interested in birds as a metaphor for the past decade, but it was in 2010 that she started looking at their behavior and flight patterns.
"I began working on paper. I was fascinated by idea of the collective consciousness of birds. I wanted to know why they flock the way they do. Is there a collective consciousness?"
"Birds have social networking and Facebooking down better than us. One birds turns and they all turn. They are the original networkers, she added.
In 2013 she started working with Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Kempton, Pa. Murphy said, "I was able to watch the raptors doing long distance flights. The sanctuary is an incredible mecca of science and conservation."
Then later as an Artist-in-Residence at Hawk Mountain, she specifically studied how climate change affects their migratory patterns.
"I went up in August and met with three scientists who had just finished a 15 year study on this. Using satellite telemetry technology, they tracked raptors to study how climate change affects their migratory patterns and they were very generous in sharing their data with me."
Murphy also said that the scientists are still processing the data and that they don't know all the effects yet, but that there have been shifts in the migratory patterns.
The Winds of Change exhibit at Gross McCleaf Gallery is the result of time spent as an Artist-in-Residence at the Sanctuary's Acopian Center for Conservation Learning and her exhibit Migratory Paths, her works on paper that span from 2010-2015 will be on display at URBN Gallery at the Philadelphia Naval Yard.
Upcoming Exhibits
Winds of Change
Gross McCleaf Gallery
November 4 - 28th, 2015
Opening reception: Friday, November 6, 5-7pm. Free and open to the public
Migratory Paths
URBN Outfitters Design Headquarters
November 3- December 7, 2015
URBN Gallery 543 @ the Naval Yard
Want to learn more about Murphy's work, tune into Jim Cotter's Articulate interview with Deirdre Murphy will air on WHYY-TV, Thursday, November 19 at 10:30pm.
Murphy earned her MFA from the University of Pennsylvania in 2000 where she is currently on faculty. She also has a long-term installation at the Philadelphia International Airport, titled Sky Paintings, which is on view through 2016 in the hallway that connects terminal C & D.
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