Zoe Murdoch ARUA
Born in Northern Ireland in 1976; Zoë Murdoch has been a member of QSS Studios and Gallery, Belfast since 2001. In 2012 she was made an Associate Academician of the Royal Ulster Academy. She has had solo exhibitions in the QSS Studios Gallery and the Fenderesky Gallery, Belfast. Her work has been exhibited in a wide range of group and theme based shows throughout Britain and Ireland and has been included in international exhibitions in America, China, France, Hungary and Japan. In 2007 and 2010 she was awarded the Robinson McIlwaine Architects “Original Vision” Award by the Royal Ulster Academy. Her work is part of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Collection and numerous private collections. Murdoch’s art work is a visual expression of the language of her life, fundamentally illustrating the inner workings of her mind. Her work is mostly inspired by memory and whilst it is generally drawn from personal experience it is often influenced by literature and issues that have struck a deep chord within her. Her work frequently incorporates found objects, collage, text and photography. She often relies on chance in the way she sources materials; abandoned artefacts, a sentence from a damaged book; other people’s rejections become her treasure. Her recent photographic practice is driven by a concern for the condition of urban society and the secret histories of the discarded. She is fascinated by the tragic beauty of decaying architecture and the narratives and melancholic force contained within derelict spaces. Essentially Murdoch strives to create a unique interpretation of her own story and make memories into art because with art there comes a sense of permanency that can help preserve an existence that may otherwise remain concealed.