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Morton, Rocky, Peter Frank, Tom Knoles & Jim Czarnecki. Los Angeles: Rocky Morton, 2024, I00241030. First Edition 1/500 Copies. 13 1/2 x 10 1/2", 4to. Illustrated Boards. Artist Monograph. New./No Jacket - As Issued. 60pp, profusely illustrated in color and b&w.
"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.”
A brand new, most handsome example of this lovely new publication, additionally BOLDLY SIGNED "Rocky Morton" in silver marker on the inside front cover. Inventory Number: I00241030
"Reality is Mental" begins at the moment when artist Rocky Morton empties the self and surrenders to the flow of the unconscious and a cosmic sense of being. This exhibition is not merely about physical displacement or career expansion, it holds a more essential meaning when viewed through the lens of Eastern philosophy.
Morton's creative process is deeply connected to the Eastern concept of "Jwamaeng", or "sitting in oblivion," a practice and philosophy aimed at forgetting the self and becoming one with all things in a state of serene stillness. Each day before painting, Morton engages in meditation to relinquish his ego. Before the canvas, he minimizes his own intention, allowing the act of creation to follow the natural flow. Paint is dispersed using an electric blower, filling the surface in a manner aligned with the Daoist principle of wu wei zi ran, effortless action in harmony with nature. The resulting forms are neither figurative nor abstract; rather, they resemble the subtle vibrations that occur just before existence takes shape. The interwoven and spreading threads of color evoke mycelium networks, neural pathways, cosmic strings, or trembling air.
The fact that this exhibition is taking place in Korea is especially significant. At the heart of Korean aesthetics lie yohbaek (the beauty of empty space), kiwoon-saengdong (the vitality of energy), and the meditative elegance of detachment and discipline. Morton's work resonates with this spirit, forming a rare synthesis where Western experimental art and Eastern ontology converge in harmony. "Reality is Mental" is a process through which the artist connects with a deeper existence by effacing himself, it is a visual meditation where painting becomes a form of spiritual practice, and meditation becomes image.
This exhibition is a testament to "all possibilities born from nothingness," and Korea, in all its philosophical and aesthetic richness, is the most fitting place for this new beginning.
Ahn Hyun-jung (art critic, doctor of art philosophy)