Kate Murphy @ Breenspace

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Kate Murphy’s exhibition “The note” currently at Breenspace had a rather shocking impact on me than expected. Suicide - is a very difficult topic to even bring up in conversations. And yet, Murphy conveyed it so subtly that standing in the dark video room viewing and listening to the female opera singer singing her suicide letter almost felt right and comforting.

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When I first entered the video room, the mannerism of the opera singer, her narration and lyrics appeared somewhat farcical and the empty seats absurd. It was not until I read the lyrics on the music note displayed outside that the video started to make sense, and to learn that the lyrics were of actual suicide notes gave me a shiver. The enlarged prints of hand-written lyrics and music provide stronger personal and private distinction to the content of the songs, hence eminently emotional.

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The empty white wall adjacent to the lyrics creates a solitary atmosphere of the exhibition despite the limited size of the gallery space. The still picture hanging on the wall opposite to the empty wall (capturing of the stage from a different angle without the opera singer but the camera concentrated on the standing-microphone) also contribute in creating the desolated mood of the artwork and the exhibition.

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This forces us to question and consider the role of the exhibiting space and environment, and its possible contribution in creating an adequate atmosphere for the works.

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The video camera in focus from the rear view of the singer projecting towards the vacant seats aided by the lightings draws the audience’s eyes to the two subjects - the opera singer and the absent audiences. It appears that; for the singer - the empty seats signify the individuals referred in her lyrics that she is no longer with but is willing to convey something to; and for the unseen audiences - the singer represents the one who left them unexpectedly but intentionally. So I believe this work isn’t purely to comfort those who are left behind and to represent their loss and pain but also to comfort the soul of the one who has left already and to remember their existence and significance in our lives.

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Kate Murphy has used it also as a device to indirectly engage with her audiences by placing us on the stage, and perhaps by passively placing us in the empty seats incorporated by the mirror effect, therefore us developing a relationship with the singer.

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The medium – video installation – also challenged me into thinking of and understanding the works influence and impact on the viewer and the buyer (as breenspace is commercial gallery), as well as its validity, accessibility and affectability.

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Suicide today has become a lot more complex issue within our society and for the individuals. Kate Murphy compellingly defines the inflicted pain, loneliness and emptiness the victim, the one who performs suicide and the victims, those who are left behind experience. It also induces the viewers to contemplate on life and death according to our personal experiences.