Neville Murray
Artist's Statement
My art reflects the experiences that I have encountered in my
life. As a Jamaican who currently resides in Nebraska, I can clearly
see the importance of "one's art to one's culture."
Being a native of Jamaica my art deals with issues that confront
Africans in the Diaspora, from the poise and dignity reflected
in the proud but poor Caribbean market vendors, to the positives
as well as the despair and addictions that take place in our inner
cities, to simply evaluating our place in the 21st century.
Through my art I try to express issues that relate to my history,
including slavery, loss of identity and Language, and how this
experience manifests itself in the 1990's.
My art is influenced by the impressionist, as well as contemporary
African American and Caribbean artists. In my paintings I try
to explore how strokes of color comprise the art work. The use
of light is influenced by impressionism, but has a whole different
effect in that the subject matter deals with African American,
and Caribbean themes and issues. More recently I have been exploring
the passage of time in my works and how light changes as time
moves on.
I currently am employed as the Multicultural Art Manager for the
Nebraska Arts Council and as such I am fortunate to work with
various cultural groups in Nebraska, including Native American,
Hispanic, Asian and African American populations. I am continually
enlightened by the similarities between cultures.
Because of these experiences I feel it is very important for me
to record and document my own heritage, specifically western Jamaica
and it's rapidly changing environment.
When I was in high school attending Munro College in the Santa
Cruz mountains my Grandmother still walked five miles to market
(Newmarket) with a tub on her head to sell wet sugar. The market
served as a repository of oral traditions and history. Through
my art I strive to keep our proud Jamaican heritage and culture
alive.