William Morris: Myth, Object and the Animal

June 23 – September 28, 2008

Internationally known glass sculptor William Morris transforms molten glass into sculptural installations resembling unearthed artifacts, animals and ancestral peoples. Morris’s 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 PilchuckSchool 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 AmericanCraftMuseum 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 HunterMuseum, 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.

Object Project

October 12, 2008-January 11, 2009

This rather unusual exhibition features 30 paintings by 15 contemporary artists. Each of the artists was given five common objects—a clear glass of water, a moth, a ball of string, a bone and a mirror—in order to develop works that were consistent with each of their visions, but had this common tie. Artists include Steven Assael, Rob Evans, and Debra Bermingham. The exhibition was organized by the artists and is being toured by the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science, Evansville, Indiana.

The Hunter will also feature an exhibition of still life paintings from its permanent collection to complement Object Project.

Events:

* FREE First Sundays at the Hunter, sponsored by Regions Morgan Keegan
First Sunday of Every Month from noon to 5 p.m.
Admission to the Hunter Museum of American Art is free on the first Sunday of every month. Enjoy special exhibitions, the Hunter's fabulous permanent collection and visit the Palate Café and Bistro.

* All-American Summer Celebration
Every Saturday and Sunday in July
Visit the William Morris exhibition, stroll through the Hunter's permanent collection and participate in free craft activities from noon to 3 p.m. Pick up a free activity guide and learn more about the stories of America found the Hunter galleries. Visit the Hunter's Sculpture Plaza for a free tour each Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

* "William Morris: Myth, Object and the Animal" Related Events
Thursday, August 14 beginning at 6 p.m.
William Morris: A Glass Artist's Perspective
Tommy Spake, a popular Chattanooga glass artist, was heavily influenced by the work of William Morris and will discuss his impressions of Morris's work.

* William Morris: An Appreciation
Thursday, August 21 beginning at 6 p.m.
Learn more about glass artist William Morris from James Yood, a noted Morris scholar and professor at the Chicago Art Institute. Yood will share his view of the artist and the Hunter Museum's Morris exhibition.