Hunter Museum of American Art

Jun 23rd - Sep 28th, 2008

Internationally renowned glass sculptor William Morris transforms molten glass into sculptural installations resembling unearthed artifacts, animals and ancestral peoples. His innovative blown glass sculptures and installations are inspired by his passion for archaeology and ancient civilizations-Egyptian, West African, Mayan, Native American-as well as his deep interest in the animal world and the relationship between humans and their environment.

The exhibition, "Myth, Object and the Animal" explores Morris's various series from the last three decades, and includes his most recent pieces. The incredibly detailed works range from tiny vessel forms that are installed together as a large "Artifact Panel" to the huge "Cache," which appears as if one has happened onto a magnificent mammoth or elephant burial ground. Included are the artist's famous "Canopic Jars," based on Egyptian burial jars, works from his Africa-based "Man Adorned" series as well as his latest large-scale "Mazorca" installations that look to Latin and South America for inspiration.

As art critic and historian, James Yood states, Morris's work, "speaks of a special continuum, of the magic sensed by our ancestors, and of the fundamental value of our effort to understand our bonds with nature."

A native of California, William Morris studied at California State University and Central Washington University, before working with glass artist Dale Chihuly at the famed Pilchuck School in Seattle, Washington. Since then Morris has achieved new levels of excellence, receiving the Master of the Medium Award from the James Renwick Alliance, the Visionaries Award from the American Craft Museum and the Outstanding Achievement in Glass from UrbanGlass.

Morris's work can be found in every major museum collection in the United States, including the Hunter Museum, and is also featured in the collections of museums in Japan, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, England and France. Glass has been an increasingly important medium in the 20th and 21st centuries, and William Morris is unquestionably one of its most significant artists.

Featured Artworks