James Austin Murray: Undercolor by Bruno David Gallery

JAMES AUSTIN MURRAY

UNDERCOLOR

April 4 - July 12, 2025

Bruno David Gallery 7513 Forsyth Boulevard

Saint Louis, Missouri 63105, U.S.A.

info@brunodavidgallery.com

www.brunodavidgallery.com

Founder/Director: Bruno L. David

This catalogue was published in conjunction with the exhibition “Undercolor” at Bruno David Gallery.

Editor: Bruno L. David

Catalogue Designer: Ashlynn Stocks

Designer Assistant: Claudia R. David

Printed in USA

All works courtesy of James Austin Murray and Bruno David Gallery

Photographs by Bruno David Gallery

Cover image:

Undercolor 4, (detail) 2020

Oil and Acrylic on wood panel

30 x 30 x 2 inches (76.2 x 76.2 x 5.08 cm)

No part of this

BRUNO L. DAVID

BY BRUNO L. DAVID

CHECKLIST AND IMAGES OF THE EXHIBITION

BIOGRAPHY

BY BRUNO L. DAVID

In the quiet stillness of the studio, The Undercolor works linger, Whispering secrets of inspiration, Threads of thought unraveling, Boundless and free.

Murray finds moments—fleeting, profound, Glimpses of a world untouched, A rhythm that hums in the shadows, Carried to the meditative cadence Of Light Black’s embrace.

Here, two chapters meet, In the great narrative of creation. Scientific precision waltzes with poetry, Each work a fragment, A star in a constellation Of intellect and emotion entwined.

An invitation, To step into the duality, To linger within the harmony, And feel the pulse of art In every breathless silence.

BY BRUNO L. DAVID

I am pleased to present, Undercolor an exhibition by New York-based artist James Austin Murray. This is the artist’s fourth exhibition with the gallery.

Through the keen eye of an art critic, one might view the Undercolor series as a reservoir of creative potential—Murray’s secret garden of exploration. Kept within the studio for years, these pieces represent an intimate, almost alchemical process, where artistic inquiry flourishes in solitude. Murray reflects on their role as a wellspring of inspiration, feeding directly into the contemplative elegance of his Light Black series.

This exhibition, a symbiotic dialogue between the two series of his work, can be likened to an unfolding narrative—distinct yet interwoven chapters within the same story. Each piece stands as a testament to Murray’s ability to navigate the liminal space between the scientific and the poetic, capturing subtle, enigmatic resonances that speak to both intellect and emotion. It is a celebration of duality, an invitation to ponder the harmonies and tensions that lie within his studio practice.

As a NYC firefighter during the September 11th attack in New York City, Murray paints on how his life was informed following the atrocity of that day. His current work is both about the paint and the light reflected on and within it. Murray states, “Sometimes the dark is where you find the best surprises.”

James Austin Murray lives and works in New York City. Murray was a firefighter for over a decade, working in the South Bronx, Harlem, the West Village, and on the Lower East Side. He taught at Parsons School of Design, New York.

Support for the creation of significant new works of art has been the core to the mission and program of the Bruno David Gallery since its founding in 1984 in NYC and, 2005 in STL. I am deeply grateful to Ashlynn Stocks, who gave much time, talent, and expertise to the production of this catalogue. Invaluable gallery staff support for the exhibition was provided by Invaluable gallery staff support for the exhibition was provided by Angela Griffy, Hazel Tao, Kara Yoon, Jana Yau, Levin Garson, Ashlynn Stocks, Talia Zakalik, and Jialing Sun.