robert morris
ROBERT MORRIS
ROBERT CLAIBORNE MORRIS' art has been widely exhibited in major American museums, galleries and libraries. In January 2012, Morris was honored with a major, one-man exhibition at the prestigious Telfair Museum in Savannah, Ga. In July of 2012, the Mason Murer Gallery in Atlanta, Ga. opened a one-man show receiving critical acclaim in the Atlanta Journal Constitution and other publications. Over the course of his 30 year career as an artist, journalist and poet, Morris has strived to preserve the human spirit, the beauty of the natural world and impact how viewers and readers perceive their history and therefore existence.
Morris studied art at the Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. and Tulane University in New Orleans, La. His writings have appeared in publications across the country. Tens of thousands of Americans have viewed his art in a number of U.S. cities with a large range of informed, inspired and emotional responses. His collaboration with the Pulitzer Prize winning author Douglas A. Blackmon, filmmaker Sam Pollard and artists Thornton Dial and Terry Dixon, among others, have helped to bring the worlds or arts, letters and history closer together.
PIECE FOR MAKING WAVES
Bandalong, 2018
50" x 90"
Acrylic on Unstretched Canvas
ARTIST STATEMENT ABOUT BANDALONG:
One of the issues facing the environmental movement today is a sense of resignation so many feel from years of focus on the problems facing our planet, rather than the solutions. That is why seven years ago I began to get involved and today proudly serve as a Board Member of Ocean Exchange, a 501c3, public/private collaboration, committed to advancing solutions in the field of sustainability with focus on oceans, coastal systems, shipping/logistics, and emissions reduction. Since its founding in 2011, more than 400 solutions have registered in a competitive process to win two $100,000 and one $10,000 cash awards. The Ocean Exchange event brought 600+ international leaders to Savannah between 2011-2017 where a cumulative $1.3 million has been awarded. Event delegates have come from 25 different countries representing 20 different industries and 25 universities.
Solutions that support clean oceans and the reduction of nuisance marine debris include BioCellection from the University Pennsylvania. This student led solution upcycles plastic waste into valuable materials supporting the current move to the Circular Economy. Ocean Cleanup from the Netherlands is a BIG IDEA, an inspirational solution to advance systems thinking about removing existing plastics in the large ocean gyres. Baltimore-based Waterwheel Trash Interceptor is a practical, operational solution to collect and remove debris from storm runoff in near coastalwaterways but before it enters the ocean.
My piece, "Bandalong", is named after the Bandalong Litter Trap, a solution that came to us in 2012 and won the Solutions Inspiring Action Award that year. It is designed to float in waterways to capture litter before it flows further downstream by using the natural current to guide debris into the trap. This floatable technology operates 365 days year without any mechanical assistance and has been cleaning waterways in Australia and Asia for more than 20 years. For more information about Bandalong Litter Trap go to: http://stormwatersystems.com/bandalong-litter-trap/
Find out more about Ocean Exchange and our sponsors by following us on LinkedIn at http://tiny.cc/oelinkedin or navigate to our website at http://www.oceanexchange.org.
Header Image:
Night Move
2016
Oil on Canvas
44" x 64"
Bandalong, 2018