Magazine Cutouts Form Nature Collages Shaped Like Birds and Butterflies by Jennifer Murphy

Toronto-based artist Jennifer Murphy combines cutouts of animals, plants, and other organic objects to create large-scale nature collages. Strung together using gossamer thread, the collages form the silhouettes of birds and surreal outdoor scenes from Murphy’s imagination.

The artist sources images of varying color and scale from nature magazines and textbooks and uses them as the pieces to much larger puzzles. The collages are wall-mounted, often without frames, which makes the oversized butterflies and birds appear as if they are floating in mid-air against the white gallery walls. A series of Murphy’s recent works, The Shadow of Sirius, was exhibited at Clint Roenisch Gallery in Toronto from September 5 through October 12, 2019. Murphy said in a statement that it was the loss of a close friend a decade ago that prompted her shift to making larger scale pieces. “The work was a way to cope with the grief but also an outlet to hope. This series comes at another time of loss, both personal and I believe collective. We now live in a time of ecological mourning and are in desperate need for paths to rediscover hope.”

For a closer look at the creatures and objects that make up Jessica Murphy’s artistic ecosystems, follow Clint Roenisch Gallery and the artist on Instagram. (via MyModernMet)