Katie Murken

I create art as a way to transmute injustices to women into a source of power. I work with everyday, abject materials that contain the essence of these injustices and I use my process to transform them into works of art that reveal the beauty inherent in the act of giving care. I gravitate to ubiquitous materials cast-off from consumer culture because for me they represent the invisibility and devaluation of women’s labor. Using humble techniques based in quilting, piecework and collage I approach these objects with an attitude of maternal tenderness and the desire to breathe new life into something that feels hopeless. Through my careful and attentive reworking I transform these cast-off materials into powerful manifestations of hope and healing.

BFA with Honors, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 2002

MFA, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA, 2005