Lauri Lynnxe Murphy is a transdisciplinary artist, writer and curator whose research-driven work highlights issues of climate collapse and extinction through utilizing grown or foraged natural materials, and creating art in collaboration with other species.

Photo by Richard Alden Peterson

Utilizing foraged, cultivated and natural materials, along with directly collaborating with living organisms, my work is rooted in the embodied materiality and systems of nature. Cast off human-made materials, often brightly colored, are frequently  used as a counterpoint and contrast, along with interventions of the human hand in living processes. 

Conceptually, my work engages with humanity's fraught relationship to the flora and fauna on this planet. Whether through malice or unintended consequences, the historical and Biblically inspired view of dominion over nature fuels the climate crisis and informs systems like white supremacy and patriarchy, creating hierarchical models of usefulness and value. This worldview is at odds with the inherently symbiotic relationships within an ecosystem, and the repeating patterns that show the interconnectedness of all life. These patterns thread through diverse bodies of work in my practice, whether in the branching forms of trees and mycelium patterns or the meandering trail of a snail - fragile and ephemeral. My process often involves highlighting, manipulating, and collaborating with insects or fungi and their architectures and patterns, showing the human impact through a coaxed interspecies collaboration. 

Press

Education 

2012  - Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, Sculpture Emphasis

1996  - Bachelor of Fine Arts, Metropolitan State College of Denver, Painting Emphasis


Selected Solo Exhibitions

2023 Telling The Bees, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder, CO, Curator Jane Burke

Firefly Music, Fountain Creek Nature Center, Fountain, CO

2022 Seeing the Trees for the Forest, The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Denver, CO

2022 Ill Fitting: Pandemic Collages, Bardo Coffeehouse, Denver, CO, curated by Heads of Hydra

2019 We Were Here Mai Wyn Fine Art & Recreative Denver, Denver, CO

2014 Lament Leon Gallery, Denver, Colorado

         Shaken, Rude Gallery, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Lakewood, CO

         nest / shed,  Mai Wyn Fine Art, Denver, Colorado

2012 Bee Works, Roy G. Biv Gallery, Columbus, Ohio

2009 Untitled, Kork, Poughkeepsie, New York

2008 Unnatural, Plus Gallery, Denver, Colorado

2007 Scattershot, Brayham Contemporary Art, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

         Flow; PlatteForum;  Denver, Colorado

2006 MonkeymindClusterf**k, Cruz Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico

2005 Clusterf**k, Plus Gallery, Denver, Colorado

2001 Hairball;  Helix Fine Art, Santa Fe New Mexico

         Circles; William Havu Gallery; Denver, Colorado

         Lauri Lynnxe Murphy: Baroque Minimalist, Singer Gallery, Mizel Arts Center; Denver, Colorado

1999 Conjugation; Plan B Evolving Arts, Santa Fe New Mexico


Selected Group Exhibitions

2023 Gravitropic, Redline Contemporary Arts Center, Denver, CO, Curated by Christina Linden

Title TBD, O’Sullivan Art Gallery, Regis University, Denver, CO, Curated by Maeve Eichelberger

2022 The Language of Trees, BRDG Gallery, Denver, CO 

2021     Chromatic Cogitations: Rhythm Reboot, Redline Contemporary Art Center, Curated by Rosie Gordon Wallace

Wood.Works, The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Arvada, CO, Curated by Collin Parson 

The Spaces Between, The Colorado Springs Fine Art Center, Colorado Springs, CO, Curated by Daisy McGowan, Donald Fodness, and Geoffrey Shamos

Meow Wolf Denver, Permanent Exhibition, Denver, CO

2019 In/Visible: selected artist for the Denver Art Museum Final Friday Takeover

Superior Spectacular, Installation commissioned for an art festival by the city of Superior, CO

2018 Pink Progression, Boulder Public Library, Denver Public Library, and Center for Visual Art, CO

Here, There and Everywhere, Museum of Boulder, Boulder CO

Making Change, Museum of Design, Atlanta, Atlanta GA, Curated by Betsy Greer

Finding Home, Foothills Art Center, Golden CO

2017     Paper Works, The Arvada Center, Arvada, CO

Axis Mundi, The Temple, Denver Colorado, Curated by Regan Rosburg

2014 Dashing and Crashing, Hyperlink Gallery, Chicago, IL

          Making Contact, Center for Visual Arts, Denver, Colorado

          Direct Connect Denver/Berlin, Groundswell Gallery, Denver, Colorado

          Art Hamptons, with Karyn Mannix Contemporary, East Hampton, New York

2013 Art of the State, The Arvada Center, Denver, Colorado, Juried by Dean Sobel & Collin Parsons

City Beautiful 2.0, Commissioned by Arts & Venues, City of Denver, McNichols Building,Denver,Colorado

          The New Aesthetic, Gallery 19, Chicago, Illinois, Curated by John Paul McCaughey

          Where’s North?, 632 on Hudson, New York City, New York, Curated by Brittany Schall

          Intimacy in 15 Minutes, Gallery 304, New York City, New York, Curated by Ayn Choi

          Collage Aesthetic, The Apex Gallery, Rapid City, South Dakota, Curated by Deborah Mitchell

          Cold Comfort, Kingston Museum of Contemporary Art, Kingston, NY Curated by Eric Johnson 

2012 ArtPrize, Installation at Vandenberg Plaza, Grand Rapids, Michigan, curated by Adoration Detroit

Bee Works, Roy G. Biv Gallery, Columbus, Ohio

2011 School of Visual Arts Open Studios, New York, New York

         Hungry Planet; Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus, Ohio, juror Michael Mercil

         For the Love Of?; Brayham Contemporary Art, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

2010 33 Ideas, Denver International Airport, Denver, Colorado

         BYOA, X Initiative, New York, New York

2009 A Book About Death, The Emily Harvey Foundation Gallery, New York, New York

         Texas National, The Cole Art Center, Nagodoches, Texas; Juror Mel Chin

2008 My Yard, Our Message, part of the Unconvention, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN

         Dialog: Denver, Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado

         Failure, The Lab at Belmar, Lakewood, Colorado; Curators: Adam Lerner & Ethan Jantzer

2000 Colorado Biennial, Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver, Colorado; Curator, Mark Masuoka

         New With Antioxidants; Museum of Contemporary Art; Tuscon, Arizona, Curator; Julia Latane

         Elements; Helix Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico

1996 Recent Acquisitions; Denver Art Museum; Denver, Colorado


Selected Honors & Awards

2022  INSITE Fund Grant, Redline Contemporary Art Center and the Warhol Foundation

2021  Faculty Development Grant, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Denver, CO

2013  Colorado Creative Industries Grant, Denver, CO

2010  University Enrichment Fellowship, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

2005  Mastermind Award, (First Recipient) Westword, Denver, Colorado


Selected Residencies

2023  La Napoule Arts Foundation, Mandelieu-La Napoule, France

2020-2022  Redline Artist Residency Resource Artist, Denver, CO

2013  Andes Sprout Society Residency, The Catskills, New York

2012  Belden Brick Factory Residency, Sugarcreek, Ohio

2011  School of Visual Arts Summer Residency, New York, New York

2008  Colorado Art Ranch Residency, Niwot & Salida, Colorado

2007  PlatteForum Residency, Denver, Colorado 

1999-2000  Rocky Mountain Women’s Institute Associateship, Denver, Colorado

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