ethan murphy

about

Ethan Murphy is a photographer born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography Studies from Ryerson University. His practice links identity and place by reflecting on the psychological impact of Newfoundland’s rural environment. Murphy’s work is concerned with a fluctuating perspective acquired from leaving and returning to the island that enables him to renegotiate his connection to its remote areas. Using photography as a mediator, Murphy reconciles his relationship with identity and loss while examining the Newfoundland landscape post cod moratorium. His photographs function as personal documents that combine urban influence with a rural perspective. Murphy has exhibited internationally, at the National Gallery of Canada and was awarded the New Generation Photography award in 2019.

ETHAN MURPHY 

St. John’s | Canada

(709) 770-4765

ethan.murphy@ryerson.ca

www.ethanmurphyphoto.com


EDUCATION

2019

Image Arts: Photography Studies, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Toronto Metropolitan University, School of Image Arts, Toronto ON


AWARDS/GRANTS/FELLOWSHIPS

2022 Helsinki Photo Festival - International Winner

2022 Prefix Prize, Prefix Institute of Contemporary Art - Honourable Mention

2022 Belfast Photo Festival - Shortlisted

2022 Grants to Artist and Artist Organizations, City of St. John’s

2021 Cox & Palmer Pivotal Point Grant, VANL & Cox & Palmer

2021 Riddle Fence Visual Arts Prize - Honourable Mention

2021 EVA Emerging Artist Award, VANL - Shortlisted

2021 Belfast Photo Festival - Shortlisted & Highly Commended

2021 Artist Support Program, Newfoundland & Labrador Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation

2019 Scotiabank New Generation Photography Award, National Gallery of Canada & Scotiabank

2019 IMA Purchase Prize, School of Image Arts

2018 Dr. Julius Lukasiewicz Award, School of Image Arts

2018 Maximum Exposure Best in Show, School of Image Arts

2017 Howard Tenenbaum Award of Excellence, School of Image Arts

2017 Bread and Butter Best in Show, Ryerson Artspace


EXHIBITION HISTORY

SELECTED SOLO & TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS

2022 

The Shape of Desire, Fogo Island Arts, Joe Batt’s Arm, NL 

2020 

Front & Back, CONTACT Photography Festival, Ryerson Image Centre Student Gallery, Toronto, ON

2019

What’s Left & What’s Gathered, HOLD FAST Contemporary Arts Festival, Eastern Edge Gallery, St. John’s, NL

2018

Where the Light Shines First, Stephen Bulger Gallery, Toronto, ON

Where the Light Shines First, HOLD FAST Contemporary Arts Festival, Quidi Vidi Tap Room, St. John’s, NL

Where the Light Shines First, Eastern Edge, The rOGUE Gallery, St. John’s, NL

Where the Light Shines First, School of Image Arts, Toronto, ON


SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2022

Helsinki Photo Festival, Helsinki, Finland

2021

You ←→ Me, The Rooms, St. John’s, NL

The Last Show of The Year, Christina Parker Gallery, St. John’s, NL

2019

Scotiabank New Generation Photography Award, Canadian Photography Institute, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON

RYE NEW GEN, Ryerson Artspace, Toronto, ON

Labour Laws, Union House Arts, Port Union, NL

Scotiabank New Generation Photography Award, CONTACT Photography Festival, The Gladstone Hotel, Toronto, ON

Maximum Exposure 24, School of Image Arts, Toronto, ON 

2018

Some Mobility, Ryerson Artspace, Toronto, ON

Maximum Exposure 23, School of Image Arts, Toronto, ON

2017

Maximum Exposure 22, School of Image Arts, Toronto, ON

Bread and Butter, Ryerson Artspace, Toronto, ON

2016 

Maximum Exposure 21, School of Image Arts, Toronto, ON

Bread and Butter, Ryerson Artspace, Toronto, ON

Ryerson/Brighton Image Exchange, University of Brighton, UK


COMMISSIONS

2019

Public Art Commission, Abandoned Structure, 96x96”  photograph, digitally printed wall fabric, Soloman’s Lane, HOLDfast Contemporary Arts Festival, St. John’s, NL

2018

Corporate Art Commission, Barrier, 48x60” photograph, chromogenic print, Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, St. John’s International Airport, NL


BIBLIOGRAPHY

2022

nothing, everything: encounters with contemporary NL photography by Kate Lahey

2021

Visual Arts News, Photographer Ethan Murphy’s Cabin Fever / by Andrew Sampson, Fall 2021 Resilience

Riddle Fence A Journal of Arts & Culture No. 42, Visual Arts Prize Honourable Mention, Fall 2021

2020

Visual Arts News, Affective Architectures: Ethan Murphy / Review by Kate Lahey, Spring 2020 Architecture

The New Quarterly, Iss. 156, Cover Image

2020 Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival Catalog

2019

2019 Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival Catalog 

Function Magazine, Vol. 20

Newfoundland Quarterly, Vol. 111 #4

2018 

Function Magazine, Vol. 19, School of Image Arts, Toronto, ON

2017

Photographer Pushes for Collaborative Efforts, The Telegram, August 25, Wendy Rose

Function Magazine, Vol. 18, School of Image Arts, Toronto, ON

2016

Scribe Magazine, Humber College, Toronto, ON


PUBLICATIONS AS AUTHOR

2019 

“Easing Into States of Vulnerability: a Conversation with Steven Beckly”, Public Parking Publication, June 2019. https://www.thisispublicparking.com/thisispublicparking/author/Ethan-Murphy

“Industry Insight: Laura Ramsey, Imaging Specialist, Archivist, and Photographer”, Function Magazine #20, April 2019. http://functionima.com/industry-insight/laura-ramsey/



LECTURES/PRESENTATIONS/WORKSHOPS

2019

“Meet the Artists: Ethan Murphy,” 2019 Meet the Artists: New Generation Photography Award, panelist, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON

“Conundrums, Confessions, Contradictions, and Concerns: Working as Environmental Artists in 2019,”

“Fancy Artist Talks,”Fancy Artist Talk, panelist, HOLDfast Contemporary Arts Festival, Eastern Edge Gallery, St. John’s NL


COLLECTIONS

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Collection, St. John’s, NL


ARTIST RESIDENCIES

Fogo Island Arts International Residency, Fogo Island Arts, Joe Batt’s Arm, Fogo Island, NL - 2024

2019

Eastern Edge Studio Residency, Artist in Residence  Eastern Edge Gallery, St. John’s, NL

Tilting AIR, Artist in Residence, Tilting, Fogo Island, Newfoundland


EXHIBITIONS CURATED

2017

Art Attack, Relic, St. John’s, NL

2016

Pop Up Art Show, Seto, St. John’s NL


Using Format