Ehtan Murrow biography

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ethan murrow

Born in Greenfield, Massachusetts, 1975
Studied at Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota, and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Lives and works in New York City

For three years I have been thinking about failure. It seems to me that there is a fragile line between reckless obsession and brilliant success. My work resides in this area, applauding ridiculous pursuits and cringing at doomed experimentation. To examine these issues I create fictional narratives rooted in the historical fact that humans will attempt anything.

I frequently play the central figure in the performances, which form the backbone of the drawings. As a result, I consciously embroil myself in a history of aspiration filled with brilliant new finds and ignorant mistakes.

Many components of this project are collaborative in nature. Vita Weinstein Murrow works closely with me, scouting sites, directing performances and then shooting still and moving images. Many others have generously lent their hand as performers and assistants.

Selected Recent Exhibitions
2008 Winston Wachter, New York, New York
Obsolete, Venice, California

2007 Osheaga, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Mockumentaries, Winston Wachter Fine Art, Seattle, Washington

2006 Bucheon Gallery, San Francisco, California

2005 Youngblood Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
Reeves Contemporary, New York, New York
The Ever Changing Landscape, The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft Louisville, Kentucky

2004 MPG Contemporary, Boston, Massachusetts
Land, Colby Sawyer College Art Gallery, New London, New Hampshire

2003 Spheris Gallery, Bellows Falls, Vermont
"Space Lab", Spaces Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio
The Viewing Room, New York, New York
Violent Violence, Gallery Art et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, Holland
Doll-Anstadt Gallery, Burlington, Vermont

Selected Public Collections
The Guggenheim Foundation, New York, New York
The Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Omaha, Nebraska