Malcolm Morley 1931, London, UK-2018, New York, NY, USA
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“Two words characterize my art: diversity and fidelity. Fidelity somehow binds the diversity. And although the paintings might look very different from each other, you get the feeling the same artist painted them.”
– Malcolm Morley1931, London, UK–2018, New York, NY, USA
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The first winner of the prestigious Turner Prize, Malcolm Morley, was hailed by Salvador Dalí as “the best painter of his generation”. Known for his continual artistic innovations, Morley achieved a prominent status in different painting movements and pioneered two influential art movements of the 20th century: Super-realism and Neo-expressionism.
Morley began his artistic journey by attending the Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts from 1952 to 1953, followed by the Royal College of Art from 1955 to 1957. In the mid-1960s, he was teachung at various institutions such as Ohio State University, the School of Visual Arts (1967–1969), and Stony Brook University (1970–1974).
After relocating to New York in 1958, Morley gradually immersed himself in the city’s art scene, crossing paths with renowned artists like Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Willem de Kooning, Barnett Newman, and forming a friendship with Roy Lichtenstein. He departed from abstract art and shifted towards highly realistic paintings, solidifying his reputation as one of the pioneers of the Photorealist movement.
In the 1970s, Morley’s paintings evolved, moving away from the precise structure of Super-Realism. His brushwork became more visible and expressive, incorporating collage techniques. These works are considered the precursors to the dominant painting style of the 1980s, Neo-expressionism, and positioned Morley as an early advocate and influential figure.
Morley’s distinctive style encompassed elements of autobiography, politics, psychoanalysis, mythology, and the visual culture of his era, exploring the boundless possibilities of paint. Throughout his career, he often depicted nautical scenes, fighter planes, and airplanes, drawing inspiration from various sources and deeply rooted in his childhood memories.
In 1984, Morley won the inaugural Turner Prize. He was also the 1992 winner of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture’s Painting Award and was represented at Documenta V (1972) and Documenta VI in Kassel (1977).
Morley showed internationally, including major retrospectives at the Centre Pompidou (Paris, France, 1993) and the Brooklyn Museum (New York, NY, USA, 1984), which later travelled to the Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago, IL, USA).
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Works
Malcolm Morley 1931, London, UK-2018, New York, NY, USA
Texas Swing, 2009Oil on linen198,1 × 298,5 cmFurther images
“While waiting for a train in pennsylvania station, I came across a motocross magazine with a cover featuring a young motocross rider and a colorful bike in midair doing an...“While waiting for a train in pennsylvania station, I came across a motocross magazine with a cover featuring a young motocross rider and a colorful bike in midair doing an impossible maneuver in a sky. For me that is the modern myth. A myth has to have a hero. A hero has to face danger and death.”
Morley’s commitment to photorealism not only demonstrated his technical mastery but also underscored his broader artistic philosophy. Drawing from photographs and postcards, he frequently employed a gridded structure to achieve meticulous precision. As his practice evolved, Morley expanded his pictorial language by incorporating abstraction, transforming realistic imagery into a distinctive form of Surrealism. His canvases erupt with vibrant energy, fragmenting into intricate mosaics where background and foreground dissolve into one another, creating a dynamic interplay of form and color.
Exhibitions
Malcolm Morley, Sperone Westwater, New York, USA. Apr 16–Jun 20, 2009
«Exhibition of Work by Newly Elected Members and Recipients of Honors and Awards», American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, May 19–Jun 12, 2011
Malcolm Morley, Galerie Aveline Antiquaire, Paris. Oct 22–Nov 22, 2013
Mutated Reality, Gary Tatintsian Gallery. Nov 27, 2015–Mar 2, 2016Publications
“Malcolm Morley at Galerie Aveline Antiquaire”. Galerie Aveline Antiquaire, Paris, 2013. Illustrated in color, pp. 12–13, 24.
“Mutated Reality”. Gary Tatintsian Gallery, 2016. pp. 42–43, 56–59, 63-
Malcolm Morley and Dirk Skreber | Group exhibition ‘Tempo. Tempo! Tempo?’
June 10, 2023 – February 4, 2024 | Kunstmuseum Schloss Derneburg, Hall Collection, DerneburgExploring the concept of “speed” through several thematic lenses and media, Kunstmuseum Schloss Derneburg will present over forty contemporary artworks by approximately thirty internationally renowned artists working in sculpture, painting,... -
Malcolm Morley | Shipwreck
November 20, 2022 – April 16, 2023 | NSU Art Museum, Fort LauderdaleNSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale will present Malcolm Morley: Shipwreck, in collaboration with Hall Art Foundation. Malcolm Morley (b. London, 1931-2018) achieved widespread acclaim in the 1960s for his photo-based...
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