Rocky Morton | While I'm Away

Known primarily for his work as a filmmaker, multi-disciplinary artist Rocky Morton.makes a striking return to his roots in painting with a new book and exhibition entitled "While I'm Away".

Drawing from his deep fascination with science and the essence of humanity, Morton’s latest works stand apart in their inspiration and innovative creation process. Morton uses a leaf blower to propel strings of paint mixed with a unique elastic ingredient across the canvas. This technique results in delicate, thread-like patterns reminiscent of mycelium, the fungal networks that connect all living plants and trees, bringing a touch of nature’s unpredictability into his art.

Art critic and curator Peter Frank states in his introduction "Morton finds beauty in division – his colored paintings thrill with outpourings of intense hues, all assigned to their own regions yet struggling to oppose and at the same time embrace, even merge with, one another”.

At the heart of "While I’m Away" is the theme of universal connection. These paintings seek to transcend the familiar, venturing into uncharted territory, where the tangible world meets the infinite. Some pieces present literal interpretations, horizons where existence seems to emerge from nothingness, while others evoke the complex interconnectedness of the universe, akin to the synapses in the brain or fields of energy reminiscent of string theory.

While I’m Away will be on display at Los Angeles' Shatto Gallery from November 2nd to December 7th 2024, offering art enthusiasts a rare opportunity to experience these visionary works firsthand.