AMSTERDAM.- On the occasion of the exhibition ORIGINS: Family & Legacy, the STRAAT Museum collection has been enriched with two new, large-scale works. They are the artwork Seven by multidisciplinary artist Faith XLVII and a joint father-son canvas titled Seldom Told by Tyler B. Murphy and Keya Tama. These canvases join more than 180 other large-format works, continuing to grow STRAAT's vibrant and diverse collection.

Faith XLVII (1979) started her artistic journey in the streets of South Africa in 1997 under the moniker Faith47, she quickly gained international recognition for her evocative graffiti. Over the years, her work has expanded beyond public spaces, from iconic murals to sculpture, video installations, tapestries, and drawings. Her artistic language is an exploration of the spaces where spirit, nature, activism and the ritual intersect, often imbued with a sense of reverence for the mysteries that lie beneath the surface. Seven reflects on the relationship of life and chance. Faith points towards the impact of the unknown, and how our daily reality connects to synchronicities that affect our trajectory.

Tyler B. Murphy (1980) is a South African artist living in Cape Town. He has been tattooing since 2001, and painting walls since 1994. In more recent years he has been spending time making hand-painted signs. Much of his work is inspired by etchings and scraper board works from years gone by. Their son Keya Tama (1997) was also born in South Africa and is now based in New York City. His practice explores the contrast between ancient iconographies and modern folklore. Utilizing recurring motifs of people, animals, and nature, his murals tell stories of the past and the future. This is the very first father-son canvas in the STRAAT collection. Tyler and Keya wanted to represent their love for the craft of graffiti, street art, tattoos, and sign painting. For Seldom Told, they used sign painting-inspired techniques to create an ancient-looking aesthetic that simultaneously has a contemporary feel.

The Exhibition

ORIGINS: Family & Legacy offers a unique insight into the artistic journey of South African Street Artist Faith XLVII (Faith47) and her family: her son, rising star Keya Tama, and Keya’s father, the coveted artist and tattooist Tyler B. Murphy. It is their first joint exhibition, presenting an intimate collection of memorabilia, solo and collaborative sketches, paintings, drawings, and tapestries. Led by the matriarchal force of Faith XLVII, it offers a rare glimpse into the family’s shared artistic journey. The exhibition will be on display at STRAAT through June 8, 2025.