Robert MORRIS
(Kansas City, 1931 – Kingston, New York, 2018)
Robert Morris è nato a Kansas City nel Missouri, nel 1931. Stabilitosi a New York all'inizio degli anni Sessanta, si è interessato all'arte processuale e alla danza. Accompagnando alla creazione artistica una attività teorica consistente, Morris è riconosciuto come uno dei padri fondatori del minimalismo, oltre ad aver dato un impulso fondamentale alle ricerche relative alla Land Art e avere impostato un discorso teorico sull'”Anti-Form”, soprattutto dalle pagine di Artforum, con cui ha collaborato fin dagli anni Sessanta. A partire dagli stessi anni introduce nella sua ricerca artistica monumentali sculture, spesso in moduli geometrici, prodotte industrialmente. Allo stesso tempo, il caso e la gravità rimangono elementi fondamentali di interazione: si pensi ad esempio alle opere in feltro o agli scatter pieces.
Nel corso degli anni, abbandonati gradualmente i dettami del minimalismo, Morris concepisce opere di carattere ambientale, come i labirinti, e, successivamente, torna alla relazione diretta della scultura con il corpo umano: negli esiti estremi della sua ricerca essa è risolta attraverso l'uso di materiali tessili o comunque modellabili direttamente attorno al corpo, di cui mantengono la traccia, l'impronta. Nel corso dei decenni ha sperimentato diversi media – dall'installazione alla pittura e alla scultura, fino al video, includendo nel suo lavoro il caso, l'indeterminatezza e il movimento. Morris si è spento a Kingston, New York, nel 2018.
Ha partecipato alle rassegne artistiche che hanno segnato la storia dell'arte del secondo Novecento, ha preso parte alle mostre sull'arte povera curate da Germano Celant, nonché alla leggendaria mostra When Attitude Become Form curata da Harald Szeemann a Berna nel 1969, è stato invitato a partecipare a diverse edizioni di Documenta a Kassel e varie Biennali di Venezia.
Le sue opere sono conservate in decine di collezioni museali, tra cui il Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, L'Art Institute of Chicago, il Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art, e la Corcoran Gallery of Art di Washington. Nel 1994, il Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum di New York, ha organizzato una grande retrospettiva del lavoro dell'artista, successivamente ospitata dal Deichtorhallen di Amburgo e dal Centre Pompidou di Parigi. La Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna di Roma ha recentemente dedicato all'ultimo ciclo di sue opere una grande mostra concepita insieme all'artista ma aperta solo dopo la sua morte, tra il 2019 e il 2020.
MOSTRE PERSONALI
2022
Robert morris, 4 Rings, 2 Centers, Osart Gallery, Milan
2021
Robert Morris, In the Realm of the Carceral, 1978 with Giovanni Battista Piranesi Leo Castelli Gallery New York City, NY United States
2020
Robert Morris Untitled (mirrored Cubes 1965-1971) Musée d'art moderne et contemporain de Saint-Étienne (MAMC) Saint-Etienne France
Robert Morris - The Perceiving Body MUDAM - Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Luxembourg
Robert Morris: Labyrinth and Blind Time Drawings Leo Castelli Gallery New York City, NY US
Robert Morris: Voice, 1974Leo Castelli Gallery New York City, NY US
2019
Robert Morris - Monumentum 2015–2018 Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna (GNAM) Rome, Italy
Robert Morris - The perceiving body / le corps perceptif Musée d'art moderne et contemporain de Saint-Étienne (MAMC) Saint-Etienne, France
2018
Robert Morris. Banners and Curses Leo Castelli Gallery New York City, NY US
2017
Robert Morris Boustrophedons Leo Castelli Gallery New York City, NY US
Robert Morris - Seeing As Is Not Saying That Leo Castelli Gallery New York City, NY US
2016
Robert Morris Sprüth Magers Berlin Germany
Robert Morris - Seeing As Is Not Saying That Leo Castelli Gallery New York City, NY US
2015
Robert Morris – Moltingsexoskeletonsshrouds Leo Castelli Gallery New York City, NY US
2014
Robert Morris Sonnabend Gallery New York City, NY US
Robert Morris Red and Black Black and RedLeo Castelli Gallery New York City, NY US
2013
HANGING SOFT AND STANDING HARDSprüth MagersLondonUnited Kingdom
Robert MorrisSprüth MagersBerlinGermany
2012
Mind / Body / Earth Asheville Art MuseumAsheville, NC US
Robert Morris - Ten Works Five Decades Leo Castelli Gallery New York City, NY US
Robert Morris Sonnabend Gallery New York City, NY US
Robert Morris Sprüth Magers Berlin Germany
2011
Robert Morris: Drawings 1961-1976 Craig F. Starr Gallery New York City, NY United States
untitled 1968, Expanded Aluminium 16 Units Galerie Jürgen Becker Hamburg Germany
Robert Morris: Filmes E VÍdeos/corpoespaÇo Movimentocoisas Museu Serralves - Museu de Arte Contemporânea Porto Portugal
Robert Morris - 1934 and Before Leo Castelli GalleryNew York City, NY United States
2010
Blind Time Sprüth Magers Berlin Germany
Robert Morris. Notes On Sculpture. Miejska Galeria Sztuki Lodz Lodz Poland
Robert Morris. Notes On Sculpturems2 – Muzeum Sztuki Lodz Lodz Poland
Robert Morris - Untitled (Scatter Piece), 1968 – 69 Leo Castelli Gallery New York City, NY US
Robert Morris Städtisches Museum Abteiberg, Mönchengladbach, Germany
2009
Robert Morris - Notes on Sculpture Städtisches Museum Abteiberg Mönchengladbach, Germany
2008
Deflationary Objects Leo Castelli Gallery New York City, NY United States
Robert Morris - Notes on Sculpture Städtisches Museum Abteiberg Mönchengladbach, Germany
Morning Star Evening StarSprüth Magers, London UK
The Birthday Boy - Leo Castelli Gallery New York City, NY US
Robert Morris - The Birthday Boy Simon Fraser University Art Gallery Burnaby, BC Canada
2007
Robert Morris, Sonnabend Gallery New York City, NY US
2006
Robert Morris - Waxing Time, Waning Light: New Paintings. Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY US
Robert Morris, Musée d'Art Contemporain Lyon, Lyon France
Robert Morris Lieu d'Art Contemporaine (L.A.C.), Sigean France
Robert Morris : In the Realm of the Carceral. Galerie de multiples – GDM Paris France
2005
Robert Morris - Early Sculpture, Sprüth Magers, London United Kingdom
Early Sculpture, Simon Lee Gallery, London United Kingdom
Robert Morris Center for Contemporary Art Luigi Pecci, Prato, PO Italy
Robert Morris. Small Fires and Mnemonic Nights. Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY US
2003
Robert Morris Haim Chanin Fine Art, New York City, NY US
Robert Morris - The Lemma Leads. Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY US
2002
Robert Morris : Crisis and War and Memory and Dancing and other drawings. Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY United States
2001
Robert Morris, Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art (SDMA)New Paltz, NY United States
Robert Morris, Lance Fung Gallery, New York City, NY United States
2000
Robert Morris - White Nights, Musée d'Art Contemporain Lyon, Lyon France
Robert Morris - Early Felts. Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY United States
1999
Robert Morris Musée d'Art Contemporain Lyon, Lyon France
1998
Robert Morris - Open-Center-Sculptures & Crucibles Mamco - musée d´art moderne et contemporain, Geneva Switzerland
Robert Morris - The Rationed Years. Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY US
Robert Morris, Musée d'Art Contemporain Lyon, LyonFrance
Robert Morris - L'Oeuvre ImprimeMAH - Musée d'art et d'histoire, Geneva Switzerland
1997
Robert Morris, 1963-1992The Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art GalleryPortland, OR United States
Robert Morris: Tar Babies of the New World Order, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome Italy
Robert Morris: Recent Felt Pieces and DrawingsHenry Moore Institute Leeds, United Kingdom
Robert Morris – Felt Pieces Kunstverein Hannover, Hannover Germany
Robert Morris - Horizons Cut, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY United States
1995
Robert Morris - Exposition rétrospective 1961-1994 Centre Pompidou, Paris France
Robert Morris - SteamCAPC - Musée d'art contemporainBordeauxFrance
Robert Morris – The Mind / Body Problem Deichtorhallen Hamburg, Hamburg Germany
Robert Morris - Malaprops / The Fallen and the Saved, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY US
1994
Robert Morris, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NYUnited States
Robert Morris: The Mind/Body ProblemSolomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City, NY US
1993
Robert Morris - Blind Time Drawings, Leo Castelli GalleryNew York City, NY US
Robert Morris Akira Ikeda – Taura, Taura Japan
1991
Robert Morris: The I-Beam Suite, Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA US
Robert Morris, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY US
1990
Inability to Endure or Deny the World: Representation and Text in the Work of Robert Morris, The Corcoran Gallery of Art Washington, DC United States
Robert Morris,Jonathan O’Hara Gallery, New York City, NY United States
Robert Morris, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY United States
1989
Robert Morris, Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA United States
1988
Robert Morris, Galerie Templon, Paris France
Robert Morris Akira Ikeda – Nagoya NagoyaJapan
Robert Morris, Leo Castelli GalleryNew York City, NY United States
1986
Robert Morris: Works of the Eighties, Orange County Museum of Art Newport Beach, US
Robert Morris - Works of the eighties, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA), Chicago, US
1985
Robert Morris, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY United States
1984
I disegni di Robert Morris Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea (PAC), Milan Italy
Robert Morris, Malmö Konsthall, Malmö Sweden
1983
Robert Morris, Galerie Templon, Paris France
Robert Morris, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY United States
Robert Morris – Psychomachia, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY United States
1981
Robert Morris: Selected Works 1970–1980, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH), Houston, TX United States
1980
Robert Morris, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY United States
Robert Morris, Waddington Custot Galleries, London United Kingdom
Society for Contemporary Art: Robert Morris, The Art Institute of ChicagoChicago, IL US
1979
Robert Morris - 6 Mirror WorksLeo Castelli GalleryNew York City, NY United States
Robert Morris - Recent Paintings, Washburn Gallery, New York City, NY United States
1976
Robert Morris - Black and White Felts Leo Castelli Gallery New York City, NY United States
Robert Morris, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY United States
Robert Morris - Recent Paintings, Washburn GalleryNew York City, NY United States
1974
Robert Morris – Voice, Leo Castelli GalleryNew York City, NY United States
Robert Morris – projects ICA - Institute of Contemporary Art - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA United States
1973
Robert Morris: SculptureThe Corcoran Gallery of ArtWashington, DCUnited States
1972
Robert Morris – Projects, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY United States
Robert Morris – Hearing, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY United States
1970
Robert Morris, Whitney Museum of American ArtNew York City, NY United States
Robert Morris, Art Museum - UC Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA United States
Robert Morris - Earthwork Projects, Leo Castelli GalleryNew York City, NY United States
1969
Robert Morris, The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC United States
Robert Morris, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY United States
1968
Robert Morris, Leo Castelli GalleryNew York City, NY United States
Robert Morris, Stedelijk Van Abbe museum Eindhoven, Netherlands
1967
Robert Morris, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, NY United States
1966
Robert Morris: Sculpture, Dwan Gallery, Los Angeles, CA United States
1964
Robert Morris, Galerie Schmela, Dusseldorf Germany