http://bostonvoyager.com/interview/meet-jennifer-murphy-jennifer-murphy-jamaica-plain/

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Jennifer is a Providence based artist working as an expressive arts therapist in domestic violence and sexual assault.

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Jennifer studied at The School of The Museum of Fine Arts and Tufts University where she received her BFA. Jennifer attended Lesley University for her masters degree where she studied clinical mental health counseling and expressive arts therapy. 

 

At the Museum School, Murphy was trained as a printmaker although she now considers her practice more research based and aims to decontextualize traditional printmaking techniques to re-contextualize the fragmented figure by exploring different textile and fabric materials. Jennifer prints reduction woodcuts on objects that are overtly feminine to speak to the oppression that femmes have faced over the years that often include sewing and yarn work to over emphasize societies assumed "women’s role". The work demands intersectional feminism by addressing the constructs of femme identity through methods of coping with anger and outrage resulting from western patriarchy. 

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The work exemplifies the way objects and bodies get so readily categorized and systematically compartmentalized in our society. The notion of isolating and manipulating body parts is impactful as this deconstruction alludes to figures and bodies that are not so easily defined in regard to gender. In this society we are so conditioned from before birth, to have gendered thoughts. This artwork is dedicated to breaking down these barriers of pre-conceived notions we all have inherently, to get the viewer to consider the notion of the body as a home base being a privilege when it should be a right.

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Immediately recognizable objects are used to point to our ingrained notions of functionality and question our embedded meanings in a pre-fixed society. Presenting the objects as bodily and humanistic, giving them seemingly figure yet nature like qualities, I’m hoping to slow the viewer down long enough to approach this process of unlearning assigned and systematic meaning.