Glenn Morgan -- New Work 08
29 August, 2008 - 24 September, 2008

Glenn Morgan is a storyteller. His work is vibrantly coloured and lively and celebrates the mundane to the significant, warts and all.

Every work depicts a narrative that he has experienced either directly or indirectly, from a trip to China with Ray and Evan Hughes to the sinking of the Siev X. From his many-detailed paintings to his theatrical crank-handled dioramas, Glenn’s work depicts and encourages social interaction, making his an ‘art to touch’.

Glenn’s work depicts an entire story at once glance, but rewards every new viewing as more is seen each time. Perspective is played with to cram as much detail into the picture field as possible, while his sculptural figures often have more than one face in order for them to be viewed simultaneously from all angles. 

His latest show at Ray Hughes Gallery comes back to themes he has explored throughout his career – chaotic city life, emergency vehicles, seedy Saturday nights, politics and sport.

Two pieces, a sculpture and a painting, depict Kevin Rudd’s apology speech, dubbed ‘The Great Day Australia Said Sorry’ and continue a theme he began with works dating from the mid-Howard years. The painting is a crowd scene, with many joyous onlookers with speech bubbles portraying the overwhelming positive sentiment.

Three works depict Glenn's travels with Ray and Evan Hughes in March 2007. 'Ray Hughes Art Tours' is a 3D pop-riveted bus complete with happy travellers, while paintings 'Us in Ukraine' and 'Us in China' show bustling car-clogged metropolis. ‘Us in China’ particularly shows a city that has become increasingly familiar in recent weeks with Olympic coverage. Glenn toured Beijing with Catherine Hunter and Bruce Inglis to film a documentary on contemporary Chinese art for ABC TV.

Glenn’s work is immediate and always depicts an action as it is occurring. It commemorates what is important to him and to Australian society, celebrating communal experience. He portrays life experienced rather than life pondered.