Photos don’t really do any justice to Ethan Murrow‘s artwork. At first glance, anyone can agree that his drawings are beautiful. It’s not until you realize the sheer scale of them (often the size of a wall) and that the only tool used is a fine point Sharpie, that you gain an entirely newfound respect for the artist.
Boston-based artist Ethan Murrow uses images from photography and film to recreate narratives of characters that explore the often ill-fated nature of human ambition. His scenes typically depict explorers and early innovators, in a highly detailed cross-hatching illustration style that resemble photos from early 20th century newspapers. Murrow invites viewers to explore the child-like confidence of his subjects as they tackle humorously doomed scenarios.
“It seems to me that there is a fragile line between reckless obsession and brilliant success,” he has said. “My work resides in this area, applauding ridiculous pursuits and cringing at ill-fated experimentation.”
Murrow was recently commissioned to create a large mural on the Sandra and Gerald Fineberg Art Wall in the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. The nautical scene in “Seastead” was created using roughly 400 Sharpies and is intended to spark debate about the issues of rising water levels and urban development in the city of Boston.
Want to see Murrow in action? Watch the video below which chronicles his installation at the ICA in Boston, on view from July 2015-November 16th.
