Artist’s Statement • Michael Murphy
My work is inspired by architecture, built and imagined. Formally educated and trained as an architect I have taken a professional detour and attempted to re-imagine the built landscape via personal design studies and various avenues of rendering.
I am originally from San Francisco and having spent many years living in London, England I developed an acute desire to interpret to the vastness and solitude of the California deserts and to interject it with a personal interpretation of modern architecture and memory.
Upon returning to San Francisco in 2008, I continued this endeavor and was able to reabsorb the influences of the built environment around us firsthand and present my interpretations via varied rendering styles and sometimes scaleless environments coupled with a non-cynical acknowledgment of American consumerism.
As Seen In
CA Modern Magazine • Cover
San Francisco Magazine
Art Nerd
Los Angeles Magazine
Los Angeles Times
Metro Magazine · Cover: “Best of Silicon Valley”
Dwell Magazine
Palm Springs Life Magazine • Cover
Sunset Magazine · Best of the West
San Francisco Chronicle · “Drawn To Buildings” Feature
CA Modern Magazine (Eichler Network publication) Cover and feature interview
Architectural Review (Australia) · Feature
California Home and Design
As Seen At
SFMOMA Museum Store
SFMOMA Museum Store, SFO
Wondergound Gallery, Disneyland Anaheim
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Architecture
University of New Mexico
1991
Recent Exhibitions
2024
Studio Gallery, San Francisco, “City Streets” Group Show
2023
La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, Group Show Studio Gallery, San Francisco, “Tiny” Group Show Napa Valley Museum, “Tiki Dreams,” Yountville, Group Show Flamingo Hotel, “This Is Tiki”, Group Show, Santa Rosa
2022
La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, Group Show Shockboxx Gallery, Hermosa Beach, “Intergalactic,” Group Show Mirus Gallery, San Francisco , “Skate,” Group Show
2021
Gallery 30 South, Pasadena, “The Coaster Show,” Group Show Studio Gallery, San Francisco, “Tiny” Group Show
2020
The de Young Museum, San Francisco, “The de Young Open,” Group Show
SFMOMA Members Gallery, San Francisco
Gallery 30 South, Pasadena, “Form:Isolation,” Solo Show
La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, Group Show
Studio Gallery, San Francisco, Group Show
2019
The de Young Museum, San Francisco, “The de Young Open,” Group Show
SFMOMA Members Gallery, San Francisco
Gallery 30 South, Pasadena, “Coaster Show,” Group Show
Marin Community Foundation, San Rafael, 3 Person Show
Wonderground Gallery, Disneyland Anaheim, Group Show
La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, Group Show
Studio Gallery, San Francisco, “Untitled” 3 Person Show
Wonderland SF Gallery, San Francisco, Group Show
SFMOMA Members Gallery, San Francisco Studio Gallery, San Francisco, Group Show
2018
Peekaboo Gallery, Pasadena, “Welcome Aboard,” Solo Show
La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, Group Show
Studio Gallery, San Francisco, Group Show
Wonderland SF Gallery, San Francisco, Group Show
SFMOMA Members Gallery, San Francisco
2017
La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, Group Show
Studio Gallery, San Francisco, Group Show
Wonderland SF Gallery, San Francisco, Group Show
La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, Group Show
Wonderground Gallery, Disneyland Anaheim, Group Show
La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, Group Show
2016
111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco, Solo Show
La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, Group Show
Wonderground Gallery, Disneyland Anaheim, Group Show
La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, 3 Person Group Show
SFMOMA MuseumStore, San Francisco
2008-2015 Past Shows
Neutra Gallery, Los Angeles · Studio Gallery, San Francisco · La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles · Wonderland SF Gallery, San Francisco · SFMOMA MuseumStore, San Francisco · 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco · Studio Gallery, San Francisco · Axiom Contemporary Gallery, Santa Monica · American Institute of Graphic Artists International Show, San Francisco · Gallery Nucleus, Los Angeles · San Francisco Travel Association Gallery · Los Angeles Fine Art Fair · Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles · D’Urso Cafe, San Francisco · PariSoma Loft Gallery, San Francisco · Chow Restaurant, San Francisco · Brava Gallery, San Francisco · Terminal 22 Gallery, Oakland · Given Art and Design, San Francisco · Chillin Productions Fashion and Art Show, San Francisco · Terminal 22 Gallery, Oakland · BALS Store Micro Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, Ap-Art Gallery · DeCantine Gallery, Amsterdam, Holland · DVA Gallery, Chicago · Tiki Art Anniversary Exhibition · Op-Art Gallery, London