
C. Murphy
Paleoelectronics
Madison, wi
As a kid, C. Murphy was never really satisfied with toys until he was able to take them apart and get a glimpse of what makes them tick before putting them back together again. So, it was only fitting he would go on and pursue a career as an electrician and a sculptor.
C. Murphy takes technology, something most people don’t see as art, and turns it into something you probably have never seen before, until now. Electro kinetics, fiberglass, wire, mosaics and more. See it all at DEVIATE and do something different.



Can you tell us some information about your art? How would you describe it? My short answer is I use discarded or obsolete technology to craft contemporary artworks both kinetic and static.
Is this your full-time job? If so, where do you work? What is your studio like? If not, what else do you do on the side? It's hard for me to separate my work as a master electrician from my sculptural pursuits since I use much of the same materials and techniques. My degree is in sculpture which has served me time and again in my work. My current way of making a living is doing controls and QC for breweries and distilleries in the Midwest and Asia.
What are you most excited about for DEVIATE? Why should people come to DEVIATE? I have seen several times in groups of artists and musicians where there is a sort of community bloom where individual artists and musicians hit a high note either from influence or interaction that makes everyone's work better. Brian Eno calls this "scenius" and I think we are in the nascent stage of that here.
Why should people come to check out YOUR booth at DEVIATE? I don't think they will see anything quite like the work I do.
What do you want us to know about your art, your design, or anything at all? I have always felt that much of technology has a truly beautiful side that most people don't see or consider art worthy. But art is at its core seeing, perception and appreciation. Nice thing about working with this stuff is that if you fail to be able to turn it into art, it’s still amazing bits of human ingenuity.
What is your background? How did you get into art, did you go to school for it, etc. Give us a little history! I was going to be an animator but got involved with the Statue of Liberty 2 by the Wisconsin Student Association in 1979 and decided sculpture was more of what I wanted to do. Degree in 84, Did electrical work and movie work in SF Bay Area (Spirit of 76 1989, Robocop 2 1990). Madison Childrens Museum designer/builder. Designed and installed control panels for hundreds of microbreweries and distilleries in numerous US states including Hawaii, Alaska, as well as South Korea, Japan, Australia. I am a master electrician with 30 years of experience, a novice blacksmith and have 2 cats who are very silly.
Where can we find your work? Any links? www.myowndevices.org