Gallery Visit 31/3/2010

Kate Murphy
The Note
12th March-17th April 2010
Breenspace

From the moment you first walk into the gallery space you can get a sense for the themes of Murphy's works. Even though we were in a small group you still get a feeling of isolation, loneliness and abandonment which are some of the themes that Murphy deals with in this particular show. As the viewer you are placed in the situation as the subject of the works from the moment you walk in. This is because of the placements of the works and individual works.

A large portion of the gallery space is left empty, there is only one medium size framed photograph on one wall and enlarged sheet music on the other, there is also on wall left empty. The placment of the works creates a sense of isolation, loneliness and abandonment, this is because of the minimal space used. By using this technique it creates a installation work because it uses the space around to create an atmosphere for the viewer and affects how the works is seen. This installation work confronts the viewer with the themes as soon as they walk into the gallery.

The enlarged sheet music is placed on the far wall in the gallery, it includes the words that are spoken and sung in the video. It allows the viewer to read the words of the song slowly and fully take in the meaning and think about each word that is written, the video allows you to feel the emotion of the song by the way it is sung. The words are hand written not computer typed which creates a personal between the creater and written words. The sheet music is also a written record for the song that is sung just like how a suicide note is a written record of the person that has died and a small insight into there feelings and thoughts. The suicide note can last a lot longer then what human remains can, this can relate to how the better memories of the deceased will last long then the memories of their suicide.

The framed photograph (still from the video) shows a microphone on a stand and empty seating, as you stand in front of the work you can transport yourself into the scene that is set and behind the microphone stand. While you transport your self into the physical setting it is more about transporting yourself into the metal state of all the people involved, including that family, friends and the person that the suicide note belongs to. This photograph show that the seating is empty which it would normaly be filled when someone is on stage perfoming. By having the seating empty represents that the connection between the subject and the "rest of the world", mostly there families and friends, the subject wishes to tell how they are feeling and thinking but feel as though they cant this is the reason for a suicide note.

I prefered Kate Murphy's work over the work of Jonathan Jones because I feel more of a personal connection with the themes and emotions of Murphy's work. Her works are more about the memory of the subject instead of the death, her show represents the emotions and thoughts of the subject.