Ethan Murrow

La galerie particulière, paris - 16 & 11 rue du perche - 75003 paris - francew w w. l a g a l e r i e pa r t i c u l i e r e .c o m - i n f o @ l a g a l e r i e pa r t i c u l i e r e .c o m

Alaska, graphite on paper, 48 x 48 inches, 2014

Hoaxers and hucksters, obsessives, fake scientists, doomed explorers, pathetic inventors, liars, a make-believe whale, and two goats : these are the creatures of Ethan Murrow’s worlds.

Here are the mises en scene : waterside exploration with undefined, antiquated scientific equipment ; Victorian American aviation inventors with personalized jet packs ; early twentieth century marine biologists with fake meters and projectors ; and barefoot miners hawking dust, holding umbrellas, and leashed to women on tricycles.

The gestalt of Murrow’s work, hidden in the fakery and malfunction of his subjects, is a truth about America. An honesty so veracious it can only be carried by the fictional accounts documented in Murrow’s videos and drawings.

Murrow is the grandson of pioneer broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow and though the man passed away nearly a decade before his grandson’s birth, Edward’s life hangs over Ethan the way notoriety often lingers over its descendents. Ethan says he finds himself « weirdly curious ; attracted and confused all at once » by his grandfather. And like many children or grandchildren of successful, famous people, a tension exists between being one’s own person and living up to the family name ; between trading on the accomplishments of one’s forefathers or forging one’s own path. Along with this tension, Ethan inherited his grandfather’s inquisitiveness about America ans a strong need to tell the truth.

The truth Murrow is attempting to share with us is buried in the collective of fictions that make up his work. As the viewer, he must become one of his intrepid explorers to find it. Here are some tools.

The drawings are, for a part, based on phatographs and stills from his video and performance work. They are photorealist : Not recreations of the events, rather the renderings of images of the events in graphite. The drawing retains the flattening effect of photography, an effect that highlights, certain details : the sheen on the gauge, the man’s veiny hands, or the wrinkly texture of the currency.

Murrow’s subjects come from a fascination with American mythology and that part of our national identity where we are pioneers, explorers, and inventors. From 1951 to 1955, Edward R. Murrow hosted a five-minute radio program called This I Believe. During the program, guests made commentary about their personal philosophies. It was the rawest form of journalism. It was simple and democratic. Edward wanted to report the truth about what people thought. The truth Ethan is feeding us may be hard to swallow : We believe in glory as defined by fame not deeds. We believe in success as marked by riches not accomplishment. We will believe in anything if it dressed up in science until it is exposed by the media.

But there is another truth to the characters in Murrow’s work. The Dust Miners are rich with grit and perseverance. Pinto Brothers are patient risk takers. Barnum and Banvard are creative and industrious, earnest in their endeavors, be they misguided or not. The Doomed Explorer believes in himself. Though foolish and imperfect, Murrow’s characters are authentic and real. We should be so lucky that those qualities are also the truth about us.

Bonimenteurs, vains explorateurs, mystificateurs et faux scientifiques, attrapeurs de nuages et touchants inven-teurs de chimères ; à l’affût des battements de cœur d’un arbre, sur les bords d’une mer oubliée, à la recherche d’hypothétiques monstres survivants du Crétacé, équipés d’improbables appareils, les personnages d’Ethan Murrow partent tous à la recherche de leurs rêves.Rien n’est réel, rien ne peut l’être tant les incohérences et les incongruités sont manifestes, et pourtant tout pourrait l’être, ou presque.

Les dessins d’Ethan Murrow ont la précision des photographies dont ils sont la reproduction. À la base de ce travail, de petits films qui mettent en scène la vie de ces doux rêveurs. L’artiste joue lui-même la plupart des rôles et sa femme, Vita Weinsten, tient la caméra. Les photographies prises pendant les tournages sont ensuite minutieusement reproduites, sans aucune recréation, au crayon sur papier. Dessins « photoréalistes », à la ma-nière des illustrations des journaux américains des années 50. Ce n’est d’ailleurs pas un hasard si le grand-père d’Ethan, Edward R. Murrow, fut l’un des pionniers du journalisme télévisuel américain.

La technique d’Ethan, d’une extrême précision, sert son discours : en lui donnant l’aspect d’une photographie de reportage, il rend l’irréel réel.À travers ces histoires, Ethan Murrow nous invite à entrer dans un imaginaire prolixe, mais les titres des œuvres nous révèlent la visée véritable de l’artiste : explorer la ligne tenue qui sépare un succès éclatant d’une vaine obsession : nous croyons à la gloire lorsqu’elle est validée par la renommée, pas par les actions ; nous croyons au succès lorsqu’il est marqué par le seau de la richesse, non par l’accomplissement. Et nous croirions aux plus délirantes découvertes scientifiques si elles étaient relayées par les médias. Mais la vérité des personnages d’Ethan Murrow se cache ailleurs.

Peu importe le but visé et sa réalisation, seul le chemin qui y conduit a de l’importance : le chercheur d’or, même infructueux, est riche de sa persévérance ; les fous volants ont le courage et l’endurance des risques qu’ils encourent, les chercheurs de sirènes sont sincères dans leur quête. Tous ces personnages sont riches des efforts accomplis pour réaliser leurs projets, même vains et voués à l’échec dès le départ, ils n’en demeurent pas moins authentiques et sincères.

Dans la série « Momentum House », cette ligne tenue se déplace entre croyances et faits : le protagoniste – toujours un double de l’artiste- est convaincu que les bâtiments, les habitations, ont une vie propre. Pour l’ar-tiste, il s’agit d’explorer les liens qui unissent l’homme à son habitat, la manière dont nous investissons un lieu qui nous est cher, physiquement et moralement, au sens propre comme au sens figuré.

The Boast of Clotilde, graphite on paper, 36 x 36 inches, 2013

Narcissus, graphite on paper, 41x 36 inches, 2012

Kingdom, graphite on paper, 68 x 68 inches, 2013

Early Warning System, graphite on paper, 36 x 36 inches, 2013

Decide Nothing, graphite on paper, 48 x 48 inches, 2013

O Pionners 8, graphite on paper, 48 x 48 inches, 2013

Wall drawing, 2013DeCordova Biennial in Lincoln, MA

Ethan Murrow

EDUCATION

2002University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC. Master of Fine Arts degree in drawing, painting and sculpture

1998Carleton College, Northfield, MN : B.A. in Studio Arts with a focus on painting and printmaking. Cum Laude with Distinction in The Arts.

FILMOGRAPHY

2008“Dust,” Official Selection, 46th annual New York Film Festival, New York, NY Co-writer, actor and nar-rator, produced with Harvest Films, Santa Monica, CA

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2013”American Ego”, La Galerie Particulière, Paris, FranceThe Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences, Charleston WV

2012Obsolete, Venice, CA”New Works by Visiting Artists” Graphic Studio Gallery, Dublin, Ireland”Like, Comment, Share” Katzen Arts Center, and Museum, Washington D.C.

2011Winston Wachter, New York, NY”The Universe - Seeing is Knowing” The Weitz Center Museum, Carleton College, Northfield, MN”Momentum House” , La Galerie Particulière, Paris, France

2010Fast Forward - Four for the Future» Tamarind Institute, Albuquerque, NMWinston Wachter, Seattle, WAObsolete, Venice, CAKendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI

2009Winston Wachter Fine Art, New York, NY“H20 Film on Water” Reeves Contemporary, New York, NY“On Paper” Jenkins Johnson, New York, NY

2010“But is it Drawing?” Brattleboro Museum of Art, Brattleboro, VT

2008“New Prints” The International Print Center, New York, NYD3 Gallery, Santa Monica, CAObsolete Gallery, Venice, CA

2007Winston Wachter Fine Art, Seattle, WA

2006Firehouse Center For The Visual Arts, Burlington, VT

2005Obsolete Gallery, Venice, CAYoungblood Gallery, Atlanta, GAReeves Contemporary, New York, NY"The Ever Changing Landscape" The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft Louisville, KY

2004MPG Contemporary, Boston, MA"Building a Legacy" The Bemis Center, Omaha, NERobert Rentz Gallery, Richmond, VA"Land" Colby Sawyer College Art Gallery New London, NH

2003Aiken Center for the Arts, Aiken, SCSpheris Gallery, Bellows Falls, VT“Space Lab” Spaces Gallery, Cleveland, OH"Charcoal" Reeves Contemporary, New York, NYThe Viewing Room, New York, NY"Violent Violence" Gallery Art et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, HollandDoll-Anstadt Gallery, Burlington, VT

2002Mitten Gallery, Harrisonburg, VA"Coloring Words" The Fotogalerie, Fringe Club, Hong Kong"New Currents in Contemporary Art" Ackland Art Museum, Chapel Hill, NC

2001International Sculpture Center at Grounds For Sculpture, Hamilton, NJMPG Contemporary, Boston, MA

TEACHING

2009-presentGraduate Advisor, Undergraduate Faculty in PaintingThe School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

2010Dayton Hudson Distinguished Visiting Artist and Teacher. Carleton College, Northfield, MN

2004-06Instructor of painting, drawing, sculpture and contemporary practice. The Northwest School, Seattle, WA

2003-04Instructor of advanced painting, Artist in Residence, summer sessions. Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

2002-03Adjunct Instructor of painting, drawing and two-dimensional design. AppalachianState University, Boone, NC

2002Adjunct Instructor of drawing, summer session. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

2001-02Teaching Fellow with full responsibility for 3-D Design and drawing classes. University of North Ca-rolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

2001Teaching Assistant, foundations, method and theory. University of North Carolinaat Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2013Visiting Artist - guest lecturer and critic, juror of exhibitionUniversity of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD

2010 - presentCritic for Arts Section, Huffington Post

2010Visiting Artist – guest lecturer, student critiques and solo show. Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MIArtist Lecture - Drawing, Video and Film workBrattleboro Museum of Art, Brattleboro, VT

2008Artist Lecture on limited edition prints made with the Tamarind Institute. The International Print Cen-ter, New York, NY

2007Visiting Artist and Critic – guest lecturer, graduate critiques, solo show. MFA in Visual Arts program, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NCVisiting Artist – panel lecturer for senior class on professional practices. Undergraduate Art Depart-ment, Trinity College, Hartford, CT

2005Thesis Critic – thesis advisor, private and public critiques for architecture student. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Architecture School, Cambridge, MA

2004-05Visiting Artist – guest lecturer for the professional art practices program. Undergraduate Art Depart-ment, Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle, WA

2003Visiting Artist and Critic – public guest lecturer, graduate critiques. Undergraduate and Graduate Departments, Burren College of Art, IrelandVisiting Artist – guest lecturer for mid career artist professional practices program. The Mint Mu-seum of Art, Charlotte, NC

RESIDENCIES, FELLOWSHIPS, AWARDS

2011Award for Teaching Excellence, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MAArtist in Residence at the Red Stables, courtesy of the City of Dublin, invited to create limited edi-tion lithographs with master printers. Supported by SMFA Faculty Enrichment Grant. The Graphic Studio, Dublin, Ireland

2007Artist in Residence, invited to create three limited edition lithographs with master printers. The Ta-marind Institute, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

2004Artist in Residence, Fellowship. The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NEArtist in Residence. Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT

2001Outstanding Student Achievement Award for Sculpture. The International Sculpture Center, Hamil-ton, NJ

1998The Sigrid and Erling Larsen Award for creative excellence in the arts. Carleton College, Northfield, MN

1996Hyslop-Warnholtz Artist’s Grant, for travel and intensive study in Ireland. Burren College of Art, Bally-vaughn, Ireland, Carleton College Art Department

PRESS

Forthcoming: “Draw the Line” A survey on drawing by Magma Books in association with Elephant Magazine. Featuring60 artists. Published by Laurence King. To be Published in Spring 2013

Forthcoming: “100 Boston Artists” A survey of contemporary artists working in Boston. Schiffer Publishing. To bepublished Spring 2013

María Lujan Torralba “Explorer of Artifice” Lamono (Spain) Issue #90 Spring 2013 pages 96-105

“The New Collectors Book” New York: Basak Malone, 2013 A survey of contemprary artists

Priscilla Frank “Ethan Murrow’s Narcissistic Excess Lands at Obsolete Gallery” Huffington Post, October 22, 2012

“The Works of Ethan Murrow” Juxtapoz online July 12, 2012

Vincent Delaury “A la Pointe du Crayon” L’Oeil (France), April 2011

AGNI (featured artist, essay) Spring #73, 2011

Wesley Pulkka “The Future is Now” Albuquerque Journal Sunday, February 27, 2011

Courtney Jordan “Rendering Hoaxes and Hijunks” Drawing, Spring 2011,

Gayle Clamens “Meteorites” The Seattle Times, December 16, 2010

Gary Fagin “Impossible Quest” KUOW (npr) radio interview and review November 18, 2010

Tim Appelo “Curator’s Eye” City Arts, October 31st, 2010

Carol Vogel, “Water Shows on the Go” New York Times July 30, 2009

“Ethan Murrow” Los Angeles: Obsolete Books, 2008, 116 pages with an essay by Ric Kasini Kadour

ZYZZYVA, (featured artist, five page insert), Fall 2008, 87-91

Leah Ollman, “Low tech tales from the past,” Los Angeles Times April 4, 2008, E24

Robert Goldrich, “From Dust to Golden Silence – Directors’ Showcase,” Shoot March 28, 2008

Kimberly Brooks, “The Nudist, The Chemist and Artist Ethan Murrow,” The Huffington Post.com First Person Artist Series, posted March 15, 2007

Sheila Farr, “Ethan Murrow’s imagination guides ‘expedition’ in art,” The Seattle Times, May 11, 2007, 47H

Andrew Katz, “The Science of Fantastic Fools,” American Art Collector May 2007, 144-147

Fourteen Hills (cover, ten page insert of images and text), Winter/Spring 2007, 81--96

Fran Stoddard, half hour interview, Profile – Vermont Public Television, Oct. 6 and 12, 2006

Holly Myers, “Drive of the Human Spirit – Ethan Murrow,” Los Angeles Times, Dec. 2, 2005

Ric Kasini Kadour, “Ethan Murrow: The Obsessed Surveyor” Art New England, October/Novem-ber issue, 2005

Harpers Magazine (featured artwork) Vol. 311, NO. 1863, August 2005, Readings, 15

Orlo, “Five Easy Pieces, Step by step instructions for a leaner, greener movement” The Bear Deluxe (featured artwork) #22 Spring-Summer 2005, page 7 and 16-19

Salt Hill (cover, four page glossy insert, featured artwork) Number 15, Winter 2004, 97-100

Deveron Timberlake “Highly Combustible” The Richmond Times Dispatch (featured review) Ja-nuary 21, 2004, 44

New American Paintings “Southeastern Region” (juried feature) June, 2003, 98-101Eve Thorsen “The Graceful Landscapes of Ethan Murrow” The Burlington Free Press (featured cover story and review) May 1, 2003

Marc Awodey “Two for the Show,” Seven Days (featured review), May 7, 2003

International Sculpture Center, «2001 Outstanding Student Achievement In Contemporary Sculp-ture,» Sculpture, (featured artwork) Vol. 20, October 2001, 48-53

COLLECTIONS

Cornell Fine Arts MuseumThe University of New MexicoThe Bemis Center for Contemporary ArtsLiberty MediaThe Guggenheim Foundation20th Century FoxHarvest FilmsBurton SnowboardsBurj Dubai – EMAARThe Copper Press

LA GALERIE PARTICULIERE

TUESDAY- SATURDAY / 11H- 19H www.lagalerieparticuliere.com

info@lagalerieparticuliere.comlagalerieparticuliere@gmail.com

ContactsGuillaume FOUCHER : 06 19 40 65 27

Audrey BAZIN : 06 61 71 58 28Frédéric BIOUSSE : 06 24 88 63 23

La galerie particulière, paris - 16 & 11 rue du perche - 75003 paris - francew w w. l a g a l e r i e pa r t i c u l i e r e .c o m - i n f o @ l a g a l e r i e pa r t i c u l i e r e .c o m