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Currency War: Jerryck ‘J. Roc’ Murrey


  • Gambrel Gallery 1980 East Main Street Ashland, OR, 97520 United States (map)

Hours: Thursday & Friday 1-5 PM and by appointment


Currency War is the first solo exhibition by Southern Oregon artist, Jerryck ‘J.Roc’ Murrey. “It is my exploration of the capital flows within our current economic system with the work serving to illustrate the end-cost of our consumption.”

As a child I found beauty in the process of everyday living - children playing around fire hydrants in summer, the elders in the community sitting on stoops, chasing the ice cream truck down the street. Though cognizant of the limited resources, it was never dwelled upon, and therefore our happiness was largely preserved. As I grew, eventually playing division one sports, and professionally in Europe, I saw that most lower income neighborhoods were similar to that of my childhood. I want my art to convey the richness of life in these areas while underscoring the obstacles many continue to face. Taking inspiration from urban neighborhoods in Cuba, Jamaica, Western Africa and America, I use symbols, images and color to tell the story of those that the Mainstream may never meet.

Born in Oakland California, and raised in multiple Cities across America, Jerryck ‘J.Roc’ Murrey is an American mixed media artist residing primarily in Southern Oregon. Incorporating elements of street art; spray paint, wheat-paste, stencil, newspaper and acrylic paint, his art illustrates the paradigm of inner City living from around the world. Heavily influenced by comic book art and scripting, J.Roc’s use of bright colors and bold outlines highlights the dynamic nature of the hero journey. By working on large format wood panels, sculpture, paper and canvas he aims to captivate the viewer through scale- moving the audience to a readily present, but often overlooked reality.