Painter Aaron Morse will present the first lecture of the Spring 2017 Hixson-Lied Visiting Artist & Scholar Lecture Series on Thursday, Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m. in Richards Hall Rm. 15. His lecture is free and open to the public.
Morse was born in Tucson, Arizona, and lives and works in Los Angeles. He received his B.F.A. from the University of Arizona at Tucson and his M.F.A. from the University of Cincinnati.
Combining painting and collage, Morse strives to make sense of the past and the present, connecting the two so as to examine the future. Morse’s zigzagging timelines explore both historical and mythical themes, from dreamlike mountain treks to space exploration. His scenes are envisioned from above or in cross-sections. The faded colors of the tangled imagery on top of crinkled terrains evoke the remnants of time passed and require the viewer to slow down in order to grasp a bigger picture.
His recent exhibitions include solo exhibitions at ACME. in Los Angeles (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014 and 2016); Guild and Greyshkul in New York; and Country Club/Rafacz Gallery in Chicago. His work has also been included in group exhibitions at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston, the Berkeley Art Museum and the Weatherspoon Art Museum at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
His work is included in the collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art in Overland Park, Kansas; and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
The School of Art, Art History & Design’s Hixson-Lied Visiting Artist & Scholar Lecture Series brings notable artists, scholars and designers to campus each semester to enhance the education of students. Underwritten by the Hixson-Lied Endowment with additional support from other sources, the series enriches the culture of the state by providing a way for Nebraskans to interact with luminaries in the fields of art, art history and design. Each visiting artist or scholar spends one to three days on campus to meet with classes, participate in critiques and give demonstrations. Every visiting artist or scholar gives at least one major lecture that is free and open to the public.