Josie Morway

"Acquired Tastes"

October 10th - November 9th

We are pleased to present a show show of works by self taught painter Josie Morway. Morway’s astonishing magical-hyper-realist paintings almost shock the viewer with their technical virtuoso as well as the poignant and compelling imagery contained within. While her work focuses mainly on animals, particularly birds, as subject matter- the hand of the anthropocene lays heavy, speaking about the effects humans have on nature. The images are composed with an almost religious reverence but backed by fuzzy color fields inspired by forest wildfires. A perfectly rendered bird with each feather perfectly detailed, may also contain a fuchsia or cobalt drip…a surrealistic note to the discordant nature man has with and made an effect upon the wild. 

For this show, Morway has added a new element- a riotous scene of birds tearing into sweet and savory foods, from crushed chocolate cake to a brick of Himalayan sea salt. Morway’s studies about the ecosystem led her to the thought that you can't be concerned about nature/wilderness without being concerned about food. Our convoluted and processed relationship with food/agriculture is a huge danger to the planet... and our quest for sugar, salt, spices, oils and meat have influenced history and impacted the planet as much as our quest for gold or petroleum. One of the impulses behind these paintings is to show conspicuous consumption, as well shock a little with the unnatural colors and excesses.

That’s not to say it’s necessarily just a rebuke. There is also a celebration of decadence and hedonism, the sheer joy of being alive, and of being in a position of abundance. She says "I want this work to be a bit uncomfortable, but I also want it to be a feast. And I want to invite the birds to the table. We humans may have forgotten how to really taste and feel and I think nature still knows how to party."

To view the show: Please click on a thumbnail to see each work. Information about each piece will appear when you hover over the image. On mobile, click the white dot in the bottom right corner to view the information. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions!