PHILADELPHIA (Feb. 3, 2011) - Deteriorating buildings that were once forgotten have become the inspiration of painter Morgan Craig. A collection of his oil paintings – “A Grave Site: Explorations in Architecture and Identity” – that exemplifies Craig’s vision of these buildings as a catalyst for human memory and emotion, will be exhibited at Saint Joseph's University Gallery Feb. 21 – March 25. An artist’s reception will be hosted on Feb. 24, 6-8 p.m. The Gallery will close for spring break, March 7-13.

Through his depiction of these abandoned architectural structures, Craig illustrates how memory can be stimulated. “Neglected, ignored, and often instilling rancor in neighbors, ex-workers, inmates or residents, these buildings paradoxically offer the most scintillating of subject matter: how beautiful the bitter pill,” says Craig. “My work is not merely a method of documentation, but a visual forum where one may question what it is about these edifices that instills such emotion in people.”

“Craig paints vibrancy in these decrepit buildings, bringing them back to life with color and immensity,” says Jeanne Bracy, Saint Joseph's University Gallery coordinator.  “Despite the repetitive lines and structure of the paintings, the natural light depicted, coupled with the metaphoric titles, give the pieces a bit of romanticism.”

Craig is also concerned with characterizing how these buildings influenced certain aspects of society. “In many instances, these factories, asylums, and penitentiaries have defined a city or town if not engulfed it, turning some of these places into nothing more than apparitions of a forgotten glory,” he says.  

An artist specializing in oil painting, Craig received his M.F.A. in painting from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and currently teaches studio, advanced painting and drawing, and portfolio development at Overbrook High School. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including residencies and grants, and has exhibited work both domestically and internationally, in North Carolina, Minnesota, Norway, and Slovenia.

The Saint Joseph's University Gallery is located in Boland Hall on Lapsley Lane, off of City Avenue, between 54th Street & Cardinal Avenue in Lower Merion. Hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. For more information, call 610-660-1840, or visit http://www.sju.edu/gallery.