Morris Museum announces 4 New Art Exhibitions
Opening January – March 2012

The Morris Museum is pleased to announce its schedule of new art exhibitions through March 2012.

A Patchwork of Cozy Quilts and Coverlets from the Collection of the Morris Museum
January 7 – February 26, 2012
Come in out of the cold to the warmth of exquisite 19th and 20th century bed coverings.

Crazy Quilt (detail), Collection of Morris Museum

Celebrating Our Legacy: The 20th Anniversary Exhibition of Art in the Atrium
January 13 – March 18, 2012

Untitled, 1947, Norman Lewis, Collection of Tarin Fuller

New Jersey’s premier annual African-American fine art show, Art in the Atrium, celebrates its 20th anniversary this season. Art in the Atrium showcases the work of both established and emerging artists, with a mission to increase community understanding and awareness of African-American art and artists. This exhibition features the work of Norman Lewis and over twenty other artists. Guest curator: Tarin Fuller

Opening reception: January 12, 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. FREE Enjoy light refreshments and a lecture by Janet Taylor Pickett about the history of Art in the Atrium.
African-American Art Lecture Series FREE

February 4, 2012 , 1:00-2:00 p.m. Rosalind Nzinga Nichol will discuss the African origins of African-American arts and crafts

February 25, 2012, 1:00-2:00 p.m. Rosalind Nzinga Nichol and Tarin Fuller will examine the early African-American masters of fine arts from the 18th century through the Harlem Renaissance.

March 8, 2012, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Rosalind Nzinga Nichol and Halima Taha will speak about the art of collecting contemporary African-American art.

Modern Tapestries and Floor Coverings Conceived by Picasso, Calder and their Contemporaries

Star (detail), Alexander Caldwell, Maguey Fiber mat, Collection of Morris Museum

January 19 – April 15, 2012

This exhibition includes fifteen wall hangings and tapestries designed by Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Joan Miró, Annette Kaplan, and John Coburn. Working in the tradition of the tapestry makers of the Middle Ages, master weavers were able to translate the designs of modern artists into abstract tapestries. Made from natural fibers of the agave plant, cotton, or wool, these intricate weavings feature whimsical shapes and fluid lines in geometric compositions.

Opening reception: February 2, 2012, 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. $15 Enjoy light refreshments and a talk by Farhad Langarodi of J&S Designer Flooring in Morristown To register call 973.971.3718.

Studio Art Workshop: Fashion Under Foot January 26, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. $45 plus materials fee. Create your own decorative floor covering with fashion designer Freddie Johnson. Call 973.971.3720 to register.

Harmony in Clay: The Elegance and Refinement of Song Ceramics

Brown-Glazed Sgraffito Ding Vase, 11th century, Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), Jiyuanshanfang Collection

March 8 – June 24, 2012

Harmony in Clay presents a major collection of Chinese ceramics, showcasing the ingenuity of the Song Dynasty’s ceramics industry, including both stoneware and porcelain. The exhibition includes approximately 100 stunning objects from the Jiyuanshanfang Collection, assembled over decades by a single family. Song Dynasty ceramics have long been prized for their elegant shapes, unique glazes, and inventive decoration. This exhibit will showcase pieces from eight of the major kiln groups; Ding, Cizhou, Yaozhou, Jun, Qingbai, Jian, Longquan, and Jizhou.

About the Morris Museum
The Morris Museum is an award-winning, community-based arts and cultural institution which serves the public through the presentation of high caliber permanent and changing exhibitions in the arts, sciences and humanities. The Museum also offers educational programs, family events, and is home to the Bickford Theatre and its wide range of performing arts offerings. Continuously serving the public since 1913, the Morris Museum has been designated a Major Arts Institution and has received the New Jersey State Council on the Arts’ Citation of Excellence, among other awards. In 2013 the museum will celebrate its Centennial Anniversary. These programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts; the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation; the F.M. Kirby Foundation and the New Jersey Cultural Trust.

The Museum is located at 6 Normandy Heights Road (at the corner of Columbia Turnpike) in Morristown, NJ, and is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. Admission to the museum is $10 for adults and $7 for children, students and senior citizens. Admission is always free for museum members and is free to the public every Thursday between 5 and 8 p.m. For more information, call 973-971-3700, or visit www.morrismuseum.org.

Posted January 2012