The Steckline Gallery will present “Day for Night,” a photography study by Daniel Murphy comprising of photographs shot during the day to create the illusion of night, during a First Friday exhibition from 5–7 p.m. Feb. 6 at Newman University.
This event offers a chance to experience the gallery in an energetic, social setting, connecting directly with the art, the artist and the community. Attendees can engage with new work, ask questions and be part of a shared cultural moment rather than simply viewing art in passing.
The exhibition will be on display Feb. 5–26. An Art for Lunch event, which includes a discussion with the artist and a pizza lunch for Newman students, will take place Feb. 5 from noon–1 p.m.
All events are free and open to the public.
About the exhibit
The motion picture films “Jaws,” “Casablanca,” “Nope,” “Dune” and “Mad Max: Fury Road” all have something in common — they’ve used day-for-night techniques.
Inspired by this, artist Daniel Murphy, a web technology specialist at Newman, set out to study the technique through still photography and motion pictures. Through this study, he challenged himself to introduce elements that help sell the day-for-night effect, such as adding warm light sources to contrast the dark blue tones the mind associates with night scenes, adding stars in the sky in post production and shaping non-ambient light sources to mimic hard moonlight.
Murphy has been amazed that so many top-tier Hollywood directors use day-for-night techniques. He wanted to better understand what is possible on a much smaller scale so he can incorporate it into his own work with confidence and clarity.
About the artist
Murphy is a Wichita-based photographer and cinematographer who specializes in creating media for the music arts. He has directed several music videos for artists such as Parthian, Atria and Aether and has also directed a few short narrative films. He began shooting still photography in 2007 and, in more recent years, has focused on cinematography.
Murphy currently works for Newman as a web developer and is often seen around campus with a camera in hand. He is also a Newman alumnus, having earned an MBA in business analytics in 2018.
“To exhibit my work during Heritage Month as the First Friday exhibit in February is a huge blessing,” Murphy said. “Having been a staff member at Newman University for 12 years, I’ve always wanted to display my work at The Steckline Gallery.”
About the Steckline Gallery
The Steckline Gallery is located inside the De Mattias Fine Arts Center on the Newman campus, 3100 McCormick. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. or by appointment.
For more information, email Director of the Steckline Gallery Emily Ritter at [email protected].
Newman Art Programs
Newman University’s Fine Arts program empowers individual artistic expression through a comprehensive curriculum, offering diverse electives including graphic design, photography and sculpture.
