Petrichor - Paintings by Idris Murphy at King St Gallery on Burton

Idris Murphy embraces the extremes of landscape; the fickle and diverse weather patterns, the infinite space and the powerful atmosphere of the distant past. The land is a place of secrets, holding many hidden treasures and stories. Murphy’s subtle yet firmly grounded painterly structures result in a treatment of the landscape that is sensitive, yet at the same time truthful. His palette of bold and emotive colours works harmoniously with the subject matter, convincing the viewer that purple sky is just as suited as brown sky or blue sky. Anything is possible in these landscapes and still it all seems as if it is meant to be. In ‘’Petrichor”, Murphy brings into light the invisible processes of nature, rendering them tangible to onlookers.

At a fleeting glance, these works may look like suggestive abstractions yet they are undeniably landscapes. Trees feature consistently throughout the body of work and are often the only immediately recognisable form. But even the image of the tree is somewhat undefined; there isn’t just one single type of tree with a distinct character and place, the trees are manifested in numerous different forms depending on the nature of the surroundings. In ‘’Blake’s Mist, Wellington” there are only five distinct tree-like forms yet the slippages of colour and tonal variations employed by Murphy create the illusion that there is a forest of trees, a forest that is protected by a veil of grey mist.

Murphy replaces form with colour and effectively communicates his thoughts through a visual dialogue based on painterly gestures. He effectively uses tone to create a blurred patchwork quilt effect from which certain natural forms emerge. Vigorous brushstrokes in every direction add structure to the canvas, further encouraging the emergence of more identifiable forms. Colour is freely lashed on creating a textured, highly worked surface that is in tune with the natural effects of weathering on the land. The palette Murphy uses varies from work to work, yet there is an acidic, rustic base to the selection of colours which is compassionate and intimate. In “Shadows at Two Times of the Day” earthy ochre and transparent khaki meld with bronzed peach and soft aqua to form a solid, yet humble background. Darker patches, reminiscent of trees and a lake, appear to be almost superimposed upon this base but remain in harmony with the surroundings.

The mood of the body of work is temperate, reflecting solitude, eeriness, melancholia and composure. A sense of solemnity and darkness is present in a number of the paintings yet Murphy’s sensitive treatment of his subject matter counteracts the possibility of an all-encompassing and foreboding atmosphere. In “Synaesthesia” half the canvas is taken up by heavy, dark hues, yet patches of aqua, paired with shades of emerald green and lilac, create a jewel-like effect. The movement from dark at the bottom of the canvas to lighter at the top, together with the translucency of the paint results in the land appearing magical and absorbing rather than oppressive.

One of the most significant characteristics of Idris Murphy’s work is his treatment of space. Murphy abandons the traditional one point perspective and instead tackles pictorial problems in a naive way. The patterns in the landscape are presented in a map-like way, resembling very stylised geographical diagrams. Objects in the background are painted closer towards the top of the canvas whilst darker tones are employed to suggest forms in the forefront.

Emphasis on the sensual domain of landscape is similarly dealt with in a subtle manner. The subdued mood of the paintings does not force any preconceived responses from the viewer and thus the experience of the work relies greatly on personal experience. Murphy’s emphasis on the elements and the natural processes that result from their interaction with the landscape, stimulates a broader sensual experience, one not restricted to smell, taste, vision, hearing or touch. Furthermore, the word ‘Petrichor’ by definition refers to the acrid smell of rain due to evaporation thus ultimately reflecting the unseen and unnoticed reactions that occur in the natural world. Petrichor can also be connected to the dry smell of unbaked clay, hence further identifying these natural processes and offering an insight to the experience of the landscape.

The body of work that makes up this exhibition sits comfortably within Murphy’s recent oeuvre and strongly reflects the progressive closeness that the artist is developing with the landscape. Experiments with colour reveal a continuing exchange between Murphy and his subject matter and his growth reflects an immediate interaction that indeed highlights the artist’s personal connection. Murphy proves that art does not necessarily need to imitate nature in order to reveal its hidden character and secrets; of equal value is the ability to expose such intentions with impressive yet delicate directness.

Anthea Hegarty

2001