Possession – Charlie Murphy

lacebottle — Lace skeleton, silver gelatine bottle print, 1996

katysleepingbottle — Katie sleeping, silver gelatine bottle print

classof1992carbuoy — Large glass, (class of 1993) silver gelatine bottle print

holdingbabybottle — Newborn child, silver gelatine bottle print

greatgranbottle — Great Grandmother, silver gelatine bottle print, 1996

spicejarswhitebackground — Spice bottles, silver gelatine bottle prints, 1996

wilddogbottle — Wild dog, silver gelatine bottle print, 1996

cardiffwomanjar — Cardiff lady, silver gelatine bottle print, 1996

gracebottle — Grace, silver gelatine bottle print, 2001

belljar — Declan Clan, Milford track, silver gelatine print in bell jar, 1998

leafvial — Leaf, silver gelatin bottle print, 1998

rosesbottle — Roses, dinner ladies, silver gelatine bottle print, 1997

‘possession’ (1996) is a photography and light installation commissioned by Cambridge Darkroom Gallery & Eastern Arts which uses the familiar aesthetic of the family snapshot to explore our desire to hold on to -and arrest significant moments in our lives through as series of photographic ‘genies’ and illuminated, framed shrines.

Using a silver gelatin emulsion, carefully selected images are printed onto the inside of glass bottles to create a series of photographic ‘genies’Each image moulds subtlely into the shape of the vessel.A selection of images from a range of family albums are printed onto plates of glass which have then been set within illuminated glass picture frames, to create a kind of memorial to treasured personal moments – using glass as way of sealing in and preserving their emotional content.

These frames have been hand cast in sand using lead crystal so they each have unique textures and qualities.

Following the exhibition at Cambridge Darkroom Gallery the work was subsequently included in a large touring group show ‘Silver Gelatin’, co-curated by Mark Segal and York City Art Gallery, which toured to York City Art Gallery,Theatre Clywd, Nottingham Castle Museum and ArtSway .

You can commission bottle and frame pieces. Some existing work is also available. Please see the Works for sale page

The following examples are of later bottle / glass vessel works referencing the body ( see The Anatomy of Desire and Medical Experiments for later work with glass and the body) :

BodyBottle_018 — Emma, silver gelatin genie

bodybottle_033 — Emma, silver gelatin genie

BodyBottle_012 — Emma, silver gelatin genie

eyeslipsjar — Eyeslips, silver gelatin bottle print, 1998

EyesLips028 — Eyeslips, silver gelatin bottle print, 1998

A subsequent series followed exploring more conceptual and minimal representations light, shadow and photographic trompe l’oiele (also further developed through print series Optic and Cut Glass)