Artist statement

Much of our knowledge of the past comes from the observation and contextualization of the detritus left behind by our ancestors. Parts Unknown is an exploration of how the fragmented and seemingly alien relics of agricultural evolution, found scattered across the Canadian prairies, may be understood by anthropologists in years to come. These objects are imbued with intent and necessity, although by repurposing industrial machinery to fulfill a domestic need they become foreign yet familiar. This reimagining of artifacts allows for an altered perception of our own history and gives way to interpretation of our society from the periphery.     

—Kristin Ayla Murray

Artist Biography

Kristin Murray is an emerging ceramic artist, born in Brandon, Manitoba in 1991. She began her academic career studying forensic archaeology at Brandon University, but later moved to Winnipeg where she graduated from the University of Manitoba’s School of Art with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours Degree in 2015. Her first contact with clay came quite late in her studies, but proved to be a defining moment for her as it seamlessly connected her passion for craft, love of history and endless curiosity about the world and those who inhabit it.