Pamela Murphy
I collect old photographs and choose figures from them for my paintings. The people whose lives are recorded in those pictures are strangers, yet they are familiar to all of us. They remind us of ourselves, our families, and our issues on both personal and cultural levels.
The figures in my paintings are presented on a surface that is rich and textured. Many layers of paint reveal the history of the canvas and create a space that serves to isolate the form of each figure. My subjects have been disconnected from their original context and are recreated as icons for the viewer’s personal connection. Each viewer brings with them their own specific history, so a single image can mean different things to different people. The figures in my paintings exist in situations—or as objects—in which I hope the viewer will find a little of themselves
