School Notes: School of Art
March/April 2012

Malcolm Morley in a nutshell

An exhibition of oil paintings, watercolors, and works on paper by international contemporary artist Malcolm Morley has been on view this winter in the school’s 32 Edgewood Avenue Gallery. Malcolm Morley in a Nutshell: The Fine Art of Painting 1954–2012 comprises 23 works: 15 paintings—including two painted installations being exhibited for the first time, seven watercolors, and a drawing. Featured works range from large-scale canvases such as Cristoforo Colombo (1965) and Camels and Goats (1980) to smaller sketches such as Hollywood Film Stars and Homes Foldout (1973) and two new painted installations, Biggles and The Spitfire (both 2012). The exhibition centers on the recurring themes of disaster and chaos in Morley’s oeuvre, while offering glimpses of its other more whimsical dimensions. Born in London in 1931, Morley has forged a unique path as an artist, creating a body of work that continues to reflect his childhood experience of the Blitz and the ensuing postwar era in London. Morley spoke at the school on January 30, just prior to the exhibition’s opening. The show remains on view through March 31.