Idris Murphy is a contemporary figurative landscape painter born in 1949, Sydney. He graduated from National Art School with a diploma in Painting in 1971, and then became the institution’s Head of Drawing in 1997.
Idris completed a Doctor of Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong in NSW and a Graduate Diploma (Education), SCAE, in Sydney whilst he was Head of Painting at the College of Fine Art from 1988-2007. In 1982, Murphy was a lecturer at the University of Wollongong, NSW, and was instrumental in establishing the printmaking department of the newly founded School of Creative Arts.
From 1976-1977, Idris completed his Postgraduate studies in painting & printmaking at Winchester College of Art, UK. To date, Murphy has had 40 solo exhibitions across Australia and internationally. Idris’ survey show I & Thou: Survey Exhibition 1986-2008 was exhibited at King Street Gallery in Sydney, Hazlehurst Regional Art Gallery and Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, NSW. In 2022, a major retrospective of Idris’ work Backblocks was exhibited at the ANU Drill Hall Gallery from August 16, 2022 which then travelled to Orange Regional Art Gallery and the National Trust S.H. Ervin Gallery, in 2023.
Idris has been represented by King Street Gallery since 1993.
Intrinsic to Murphy’s art making process is an engagement with the environment which surrounds him, and by extension, his en plein air practice. Murphy explains that his ‘expeditions’ through the Australian bush ‘offer him enough to last a lifetime’. (Catalogue Essay, 2017, Gregor Sloss) His work aims to ‘transform an already imagined landscape’ (Sloss, 2017). Murphy’s practice attempts to mirror Indigenous respect for the Australian landscape. Murphy suggests that an Indigenous Australian landscape painting is a reinvigoration of the landscape and is sustained by its Dreamings.
Murphy’s work can be found in a number of public, state and corporate collections such as the ANU University Drill Hall Collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, State Library NSW, Artbank, Allens Collection, and the Westpac Collection.
Idris’ studio is located in Kurnell, Sydney.
By Sean O'Brien, this film accompanies Backblocks, the 2022/23 major survey for leading Australian landscape artist Idris Murphy. Following the debut of the survey at the Drill Hall Gallery in Canberra (August to October 2022), the film was screened continuously onsite during the run of the exhibition at both the Orange Regional Gallery (November 19 2022 to January 23 2023) and the SH Ervin Gallery (February 18 to April 20 2023). The film features sequences filmed with Idris, both in the field and in his various studios, over a 22 year period. The film explores Idris's ideas, techniques, and unique vision, through his own words. Locations include Mutawintji and Fowlers Gap in Far West NSW, and studios in Caringbah, Woonona, and Kurnell.
Video Credit: Maria Stoljer, Talking with Painters Part of an artist talk held at S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney in celebration of Idris Murphy's survey exhibition BACKBLOCKS.
Empyrean: scattering of stars is the intriguing title of the 2019 exhibition of leading Australian landscape artist Idris Murphy. In this sneak preview film, Idris talks with characteristic intelligence and humour about the work to be featured in the show, and gives us some insight into his philosophical and creative approach. The film was shot in April 2019 in Idris's studio in Kurnell in Sydney, just days before the exhibition opening, and Idris is surrounded by his works, some newly painted. The film was shot by Sean O'Brien, who has been collaborating with Idris on films since they first worked together in 2001 for the renowned arts documentary Two Thirds Sky. The exhibition will run at the King Street Gallery on William in Sydney from May 14 to June 8, 2019.
The exhibition features paintings and works on paper by Elisabeth Cummings, Idris Murphy, Peter Godwin, John Peart, Lucy Culliton and works by acclaimed photographer Jason Capobianco. Six Artists | Seven Days is the culmination of a project that began over a year ago when the artists were invited to spend a week exploring the 320,668 hectares of protected wilderness working closely with scientists from AWC’s Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary in the Kimberley.
A film by Maria Stoljar from 'Talking with Painters'. Salient, Contemporary artists at the Western Front is a travelling exhibition in NSW, 2018–2020. In 2017 twelve leading Australian artists visited the First World War battlefields of the Western Front, a century after the conflict that claimed so many lives. This exhibition brings together the works they created in response to the experience.
Leading Australian landscape artist Idris Murphy in the film Two Thirds Sky - Artists in Desert Country. Two Thirds Sky reveals different ways of seeing the Australian desert. It follows the creative journeys of five contemporary artists – Indigenous and non-Indigenous – from blank canvas to finished painting. Each artist has a different relationship to the land they paint yet all are attempting to express their identity and sense of belonging through their work. The featured artists are Peter Sharp, Jenny Sages, Idris Murphy, Judy Watson, and Gloria Petyarre. Written and Directed by Sean O'Brien.
Renowned landscape artist Idris Murphy walks and talks us through his exhibition Tide-Lands at the King Street Gallery on William, Sydney July 2015. Produced by Sean O'Brien. As an artist with a long background in teaching as well as painting, Idris is a keen communicator. He's happy to share not only the paintings, but the creative process behind the work, the places and people that inspire him. In this way, Idris gives us a rare glimpse into the act of painting and the life of an artist.
Return to Anzac Cove : ‘Your friend the enemy’ Drill Hall Gallery, Kingsley Street, Acton ACT 0200, Australia From 10 April until 17 May 2015 • 12 – 5pm Wednesday to Sunday • Admission free The Drill Hall Gallery is currently exhibiting the works of 13 artists who were part of the Sydney gallery director Robert Linnegar's ambitious project. In 2013 and 2014 he organised for groups of artists from Australia and New Zealand to revisit the legendary sites of the Anzac expedition to Gallipoli. Robert Linnegar is one of the Directors of King Street Gallery on William, Sydney. This exhibition portrays a landscape of tragic memory via the responses of 12 contemporary artists – Elisabeth Cummings, Idris Murphy, Euan Macleod, Guy Maestri, Steve Lopes, Deirdre Bean, Peter O’Doherty, Amanda Penrose Hart, Leo Robba, Luke Sciberras, Michael Shepherd, John Walsh and the filmmaker Bruce Inglis.
Documentary film maker Bruce Inglis travelled to Gallipoli in 2014 with a group of Australian and New Zealand artists to document painting in the landscape and the human figure in the landscape. Full length DVD available through SYNC Pictures and King Street Gallery on William.
Following on from King Street Gallery's exhibition 'Landscape inscape' featuring works by Idris Murphy and Scottish artist Paul Martin, Paul takes us through their current exhibition 'Edgelands' on view at Warburton Art Gallery, Edinburgh.
Leading Australian contemporary landscape painter Idris Murphy shows and talks us through his methods in the studio. Idris has brought back several paintings which he began in the field, in places such as Fowlers Gap and Mutawintji in far west NSW. Amongst many topics, Idris discusses colour, composition, use of paint, memory, evoking place, and real presence. Filmed in May 2013 at Idris's studio in Kurnell, Sydney. Sean O'Brien
2023
Active Surrender King Street Gallery on William, Sydney
2022 – 23
Backblocks, The Drill Hall Gallery, ANU Canberra, Orange Regional Art Gallery, SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney.
2022
Now and Then, Mitchell Fine Art, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, QLD
2021
The Abundance King Street Gallery on William
2019
Empyrean: scattering of stars King Street Gallery on William
2017
Real Presence King Street Gallery on William
New Work Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne
2016
Drawing Breath [works on paper & heliographs] King Street Gallery on William
2015
Tide-Lands King Street Gallery on William
2014
Landscapes Inscapes King Street Gallery on William
Idris Murphy & Paul Martin, Warburton Art Gallery, Edinburgh UK
2013
Everywhen King Street Gallery on William
2011
Interrogating Appearances King Street Gallery on William
2010
I & Thou: Survey Exhibition 1986-2008 Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Idris Murphy at Bett Gallery Hobart, Tas
2009
I & Thou King Street Gallery on William
I & Thou: Survey Exhibition 1986-2008 Hazelhurst Regional Art Gallery, NSW
2007
Re-Cognising the land King Street Gallery on William
2005
equilibrium of contradictions king street gallery on burton, Sydney
Axia Gallery, Melbourne
2004
desert paintings king street gallery on burton
contemporary australian prints: from the collection Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
John Gordon Gallery (in assoc. with king street gallery on burton), Coffs Harbour, NSW
2003
flags of convenience king street gallery on burton
2002
Desert Country Axia Modern Art, Melbourne
2001
petrichor king street gallery on burton
Recent Work Bonython Meadmore Gallery, Adelaide
1999
works on paper king street gallery
landskips king street gallery on burton
Recent Work Axia Modern Art
1997
real presence king street gallery on burton
1995
constant revision king street gallery on burton
1993
other roads king street gallery on burton
1990
New Work Editions Southbank Galleries, Melbourne
1989
Recent Work Macquarie Galleries, Sydney
New Work Editions Southbank Galleries
1987
Selected Prints- Sydney Theatre Company, Wharf Theatre, Sydney
1986
Recent Work Macquarie Galleries
1984
Recent Work Macquarie Galleries
1983
Recent Work Macquarie Galleries
Orange Festival Orange, NSW
1982
Recent Work Macquarie Galleries
1978
Upstream Galleries, London
1974
Recent Work Macquarie Galleries
1972
Recent Work Macquarie Galleries
2024
Landscape Tells the Way: Illawarra, Wollongong Art Gallery, Wollongong, NSW
‘Ode to Country’, Delmar Gallery, Trinity Grammar School, Sydney, NSW
2022
Earth Canvas National Museum of Australia, Canberra
2021
The Big Picture Show King Street Gallery on William, Sydney
Tree of Life: A testament to endurance S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
The Hadley’s Art Prize, The Orient Hotel, Hobart, Tas
2020
Earth Canvas [Touring Exhibition] Albury Library Museum, NSW
2019
Conversations with Alice Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios
Inside/Outside King Street Gallery on William
2018-20
Salient – Contemporary Artists on the Western Front New England Regional Art Museum, NSW; ANZAC Memorial, Sydney; Bank Art Museum, Moree, NSW; Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre, NSW; Tweed Regional Gallery, NSW
2018
100 years on King Street Gallery on William
Salient Melbourne Australia Club Melbourne, Vic
National Art, Part one National Art School, Sydney
Gallipoli Drawings Newcastle University Art Gallery, Newcastle, NSW
Hadley’s Art Prize Hadley’s Orient Hotel, Hobart, Tas
A Painted Landscape Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney
The Art of Friendship Gallery Lane Cove and Creative Studios, Sydney
2017
Artist Profile Australasian Painters Orange Regional Gallery, NSW
Hadley’s Art Prize Hadley’s Orient Hotel, Hobart, Tas
2016
Paint my Place Coffs Harbour Regional Art Gallery
Alcastan Gallery, Melbourne
2015
Packsaddle Exhibition New England Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Gallipoli 5 King Street Gallery on William
2015-17
Country & Western: landscape re-imagined [curated by Gavin Wilson], launching at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Qld-travelling Qld, NSW, Vic, NT
2015
Hazelhurst Works on Paper Award Hazelhurst Regional Gallery
Plein Air Painting Prize Parliament House, Sydney
Your Friend the Enemy 100 Years On, Gallipoli The Drill Hall Gallery
Your Friend the Enemy 100 Years On, Gallipoli Travelling: S.H. Ervin Gallery, Bathurst Regional Art Gallery
A Salute: Drawing Show Goulburn Regional Gallery, NSW
Plein Air Painting prize Parliament House, NSW
2014
Oz to Waiheke Waiheke Community Art Gallery, NZ Gallipoli Art Prize Exhibition Gallipoli Club Sydney
2012-13
Not the Way Home [curated by Owen Craven] S.H. Ervin, Sydney & traveling
2012
KIAF/12 Korean International Art Fair, COEX Building, Seoul
The Big Picture King Street Gallery on William
Virtual Reality: Interpreting the Landscape [King Street Gallery @ Newcastle University Gallery] Newcastle, NSW
Fowlers Gap [13 artists paint the desert] Stella Downer Fine Art, Sydney
2010-11
On this Island [Eleven prominent artist paint New Zealand] curated by Owen Craven, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery and Arts Centre, NSW; Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, NSW; King Street Gallery on William, Sydney; Bowen Galleries, Wellington, New Zealand
2010
Everything and Nothing King Street Gallery on William
Recent Acquisitions Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Three Artists [Euan Macleod, Idris Murphy, Ann Thompson] Bega Valley Regional Gallery, NSW
Recent Acquisitions Charles Sturt University Art Collection, Wagga Wagga, NSW
Prints from Cicada Press [curated by Michael Kempson], Bowen Galleries, Wellington, NZ
2009
Damien Minton Gallery, Sydney
2008
Stations of the Cross 2008 St Ives Uniting Church, Sydney
Plein Air Painting Prize NSW Parliament House, Sydney
2007
Five x Five Ivan Dougherty Gallery, COFA, University of NSW, Sydney
2006
Going Out There Alliance Francaise, Paris, France
king street gallery at doggett street studios [cummings, elliott, murphy, penrose hart, sages], Brisbane, Qld
Painting 2006 John Gordon Gallery, Coffs Harbour, NSW
Kedumba Drawing Prize Kedumba Gallery, Blue Mountains Grammar, Wentworth Falls, NSW
2005
Kedumba Drawing Award Kedumba Gallery, Blue Mountains Grammar
Kings School Art Prize Kings School, Parramatta, NSW
(Going) Out There – Responses to the Remote lands around Fowlers Gap Arid Zone Research Station North of Broken Hill Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney
2004
Spectrum 2004 [FONAS], Parliament House, Sydney
Fleurieu Prize for Landscape South Australia
2003
64 years king street gallery on burton
An Approachable Landscape Axia Modern Art
2002
Two Thirds Sky- artists in desert country Hazelhurst Regional Gallery & Arts Centre, Sydney
A Silver Lining & A New Beginning Ivan Dougherty Gallery, COFA, UNSW
common ground Hazelhurst Regional Gallery & Arts Centre
2001
floating king street gallery on burton
Our Place: Images of Coffs Harbour & Region Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, NSW
Views king street gallery, Sydney
Landscapes Artists Ties Gallery, Canberra
last show of the year king street gallery on burton
2000
Southern Sydney Artists Hazelhurst Regional Gallery & Arts Centre
last show of the year king street gallery on burton
Melbourne Art Fair 2000 king street gallery, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
1999
Schools & Universities Invitational Millennium Art Prize Schools & Universities Club, Sydney
last show of the year king street gallery on burton
1998
Staff Exhibition Ivan Dougherty Gallery
last show of the year king street gallery on burton
1996
In Process Ivan Dougherty Gallery
first night king street gallery
The Outback Art Prize Broken Hill City Art Gallery, NSW
gallery artists king street gallery
1995
Ironsides Powerhouse Museum, Sydney
The French Embrace Alliance Francaise, Sydney
1993-94
Common Ground University of New South Wales; Broken Hill City Art Gallery, NSW
1994
gallery artists king street gallery on burton
Australian Contemporary Art Fair4 Royal Exhibition Building
1993
Editions Southbank Galleries
Virtu Ivan Dougherty Gallery
1992
The Book and Print Show University of Wollongong
Manu et Mente Ivan Dougherty Gallery
Australian Exhibition- Contemporary Binding National Library of Australia, Canberra
Critic’s Choice Macquarie Galleries
Blake Prize for Religious Art Blaxland Gallery, Sydney & touring Australia
1991
The Artist- The Printmaker Editions Southbank Galleries
The Book and Print Show University of Wollongong; Goulburn Regional Art Gallery, NSW; Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest, NSW
1990
Editions Southbank Galleries
1988
Art Collegium University of Technology, Sydney
Heretic National Library of Australia, Canberra
1987
Bushweek Queensland Arts Council, Brisbane and Queensland Regional Art Centre
Tribute to Lloyd Rees Macquarie Galleries
Rainforest Show Macquarie Galleries
1986
Wynne Prize Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
1984
Orange Festival Queensland College of Art, Brisbane
Wynne Prize Art Gallery of New South Wales
1983
Bushweek Macquarie Galleries
1982
Wynne Prize Art Gallery of New South Wales
1981
Sulman Prize Art Gallery of New South Wales
1980
Sulman Prize Art Gallery of New South Wales
1978
Red Show Thumb Gallery, London
Allens Arthur Robinson
Australian Graduate School of Management
Australian Library of Art, State Library of Queensland, Qld
Artbank, Australia
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Bendigo Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Bibliotheque National de Paris
Brisbane Grammar School, Qld
Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Charles Sturt University, NSW
Clot/Bramsen et Georges Studio, Paris
Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, NSW
Cowra Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Drill Hall Gallery, Australian National University, Canberra
Gallipoli Memorial Club
Kedumba Drawing Collection, NSW
Long Gallery & Art Collection, University of Wollongong, NSW
Macquarie Bank, Australia
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
National Library of Australia, Canberra
Northern Rivers CAE, NSW
Orange Regional Gallery, NSW
Parliament House, Canberra
Rockhampton Regional Art Gallery, Qld
State Library of New South Wales
Telecom Collection, Melbourne
Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Ireland
UBS Warburg, Sydney
University of New South Wales
Westpac Collection, Australia
Review: Idris Murphy 'Backblocks' at S. H. Ervin Gallery, by Paul Neeson
Eastside FM Radio
15 March, 23
It's time this most original Australian artist got the attention he deserves by John McDonald
It's time this most original Australian artist got the attention he deserves by John McDonald
The Sydney Morning Herald
11 March, 2023
Review: Idris Murphy's exhibition at Drill Hall Gallery, Backblocks, is inspiring and lyrical
Review: Idris Murphy's exhibition at Drill Hall Gallery, Backblocks, is inspiring and lyrical
Canberras Times
Sasha Grishin
Surreal, colourful and rich: The artistic oasis of Fowlers Gap by Diane Nazaroff
University of New South Wales Sydney Newsroom publication
19 November 2019
Rivers of despair at loss of Darling by John McDonald
The Sydney Morning Herald, Spectrum
4 October 2019
Local artists feature in arguably Australia's most popular art prizes by Albert Martinez
St George and Sutherland Shire THE LEADER
May 2019
The Western Front 100 Years On: Contemporary artists take stock by Brad Manera
Australian Financial Review
2018
Letters from the killing fields inspire grandson to a $20,000 art prize by Andrew Taylor
The Sydney Morning Herald
24 April 2014
Chance discovery of love letters leads to prize-winning painting by Adrian Raschella
ABC News
23 April 2014
ANZAC Grandson Idris Murphy wins the 2014 Gallipoli Art Prize
Media Release - The Gallipoli Club
23 April 2014
Idris Murphy: I and Thou essay by John McDonald
The Sydney Morning Herald, Spectrum
3-4 October 2009
SAND and SUN: Interpreting the desert on canvas essay by John McDonald
The AUstralian Financial Review
13 July 2002
Two thirds Sky - Artists in desert country: Idris Murphy
Hazelhurst Regional Gallery Publication
2002
