Murrell, Gerard Earl - Gerard Murrell, born on December 16, 1950, in Church Point, Louisiana, was a multifaceted artist and scholar. He obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Painting and Dance/Theatre from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now ULL) in 1973. Later, in 1986, he completed a Master of Science Degree in Cultural Anthropology at Columbia University in New York City. Murrell further pursued a doctoral degree in Anthropology/Mesoamerican Art History at Tulane University in New Orleans from 1987 to 1988, supported by a fellowship.<br /><br />During his time in New York, Murrell held significant positions within the art community. He served as the Assistant Director of the Nancy Hoffman Gallery from 1974-75 and the Louis K. Meisel Gallery from1974-76. Additionally, he worked as a photographer for prominent individuals and galleries such as Holly Solomon Gallery, Christopher deMenil, Robert Rauschenberg, Tina Girouard, Robert Indiana, Irving Penn, Christopher Makos, and Estee Lauder. In 1976, Murrell journeyed to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where he captured photographs of local paintings and sculptures.<br /><br />From 1978 to 1987, Murrell worked as a photographer for WNET/13, a notable broadcasting station. He also contributed his photographic skills to the Gamma-Liason International Photography Agency from 1980 to 1984. Murrell's photographs gained wide recognition and were featured in esteemed publications such as The New York Times, Time Magazine, The Village Voice, The San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Chronicle, Architectural Digest, The New Orleans Times-Picayune, Arts Magazine, and Business Week.<br /><br />Gerard Murrell passed away on October 6, 1991, leaving behind a legacy of artistic and scholarly contributions.