Richard Morrison
Richard Morrison’s latest body of work, entitled “Attractive” is about his model's awareness of how they will appear on the canvas and their eagerness to be portrayed looking at their most appealing.
Approached by travellers from a myriad of countries such as England, Holland, Germany and also indigenous Australians I chose to call this series "Attractive". Quite a lot of my models were very young, around 17-18 years of age and I really enjoyed capturing the youthful flair that is characteristic of that age.
Berets, skimpy dresses, corsets and a variety of hats adorned my subjects and they projected their display to enhance, not unlike a peacock does to make himself look attractive. With energy and enthusiasm they purposely shaped their sensibility to reflect how they want to look and particularly how they will appear on the canvas.
In these works I sought to express this excitement and glamour they perceive of being represented. To show how they are extremely aware of how they will be seen and to portray the way they pose and angle themselves so they look at their most appealing. That body language and the self awareness is the language I sought to depict.
Morrison’s conceptual impetus is enhanced by his signature palette and style. While visually engaging, the viewer is instantly invited to consider the scene presented: the composition almost including the viewer in the room with the unknown subject matter. Intrinsically the viewer experiences that moment of self-empowerment that is conveyed successfully by Morrison.
Morrison is particularly interested in the Fauvist derived concepts of liberal draftsmanship and autonomous colour palette. Such aspects can be seen in the exaggeration of composition and subject matter. This conflates a colour palette that is non doctrinaire to the colours that traditionally would inform the subject matter depicted. Morrison’s work is an expressive, arresting engagement with life and the figurative.
—Richard Morrison, 2011
Artworks
