Ruth Murray (b.1984, Birmingham, UK) lives and works in Manchester, UK. She graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2008, where she was awarded the Stanley Smith Scholarship to study. Ruth’s work reflects her deep interest in exploring portraiture, identity, and the presence of human concerns in natural settings and the social landscape. Pliable shape and invented masses are rendered in most of her works – her paintings are about the spongy fungibility of matter.

Last year Ruth had two solo shows prompted by the life and work of Jean Rhys; ‘The Blue Hour’ at The Old Bank Residency Manchester, and ’Good Morning, Midnight!’ at Elysium Gallery in Swansea, and was also shortlisted for the Contemporary British Painting Prize. Other notable exhibitions and awards include Derek Hill Scholar at British School at Rome, Northern Stars at the A Foundation, Saatchi’s 4 New Sensations, The Creative Cities Collection, the BP Portrait Award and the Threadneedle Figurative Art Prize.