Paul Morrison’s monochromatic botanical landscapes give us a bit of everything we love. Firstly, he renders plants in a reasonably botanically accurate way, clearly taking inspiration from the shapes and patterns that plants produce. But he then shakes it all up a bit to great effect. Not only does he add some more cartoony impressionistic elements to the mix, but he also messes with proportions and perspective. So big flowers or leaves tower over little trees, rootless plants fly around and black is inverted to white to depict time of day, shade and morphological detail. He is not peddling floral prettiness here, he is creating bold architectural plant mish-mash. It’s great botanical art.
Paul Morrison (b.1966) was born in Liverpool, studied at Goldsmiths and has exhibited internationally. He now lives and works in Sheffield.
Series below – ‘Black Dahlias’, 2004
Plant Curator, interesting that these images unsettle me and my botanical sensibilities, and I guess that’s what art should do! Thanks. Dr M