Peter Murphy Art Studio

Peter Murphy’s artwork curators, Daniel Etherton (Christie’s) and Emma Lang (SOTA) sat down with Peter to discuss his latest series of artworks, ‘Thorns’.  

DE: Thanks for chatting with us today Peter. It has been a pleasure to curate your second artwork release. We’d love to know what inspired your latest series of artworks, ‘Thorns’?

PM: A face emerged out of the beginning of canvas resonating with the archetype of my Jesus connection. This first of the “Thorns canvas” was finished swiftly. Thus the beginning of the series that flowed, with no pre-conception.

EL: You’ve previously mentioned that Jesus has been a figure you have illustrated since childhood. Where did the inspiration to start drawing him come from? 

PM: As an abstract natured young child, I came across the crucifixion at our home and had a deep curiosity for this “apparently slaughtered man”. Then at the age of 5, in my first day at infant school I was confronted with a huge Christ cross and told ‘not to worry’ and that ‘this was God’. Even then I saw this as absurd, in that a prophet cannot be God, yet I was mesmerised by the ensuing story of the prophet Jesus as Messiah and attached my whole self to his nature. This passion and self-sacrifice story consumed me. There was a deeply selfless sense of essential love. By 6 years of age I found myself drawing the crucifixion and this sacrificial lamb with chalk on the pavement outside our home. This was more of an urge than a desire that came from a personal
awe of beauty in all forms.

DE: This series of artworks has striking differences and yet similarities to your first artwork release. In comparison to your self portraiture and music iconography works, how do these feel different to you?  

PM: The art of imagery, musical, vocal, lyrical and illustration that each converge in their reach for transcendence just as one sung note alone will transport the listener “the listener being the reason for creating it” being sung to; each of the above resonate deeply and wholly into the watcher-listener-reader so as to surpass the reasoning mind and the pitfall of scientific logic.

EL: Thank you for this insight, we can’t wait to see how these pieces resonate with your audience.