A Petal Silently Fell

Annie Morris (b. 1978, London, United Kingdom) is a British artist working across tapestry, painting, and drawing. She studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris under Giuseppe Penone before completing her education at the Slade School of Fine Art in London in 2003. Morris is best known for her “Stack” sculptures, which comprise colourful, irregularly shaped orbs arranged vertically one atop another. Made from plaster and cast bronze and coated with vivid raw pigments such as ultramarine, viridian, and ochre, the “Stacks” were initiated during a period of grieving following a miscarriage. The precarious balance of the spheres — appearing to hover upon plinths as though forever on the verge of collapse — reflects both the miracle and fragility of life. Beyond the “Stack” series, Morris explores femininity and embodiment through drawing-like tapestries, linear figural sculptures, and gestural abstract paintings such as her allover “Face” series. Her work has been exhibited internationally at institutions including the Fosun Foundation, Shanghai; Château La Coste, Provence; and Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Yorkshire. Morris’s works are held in major public collections such as the Long Museum, Shanghai; Louis Vuitton Foundation, Paris; and the University of Colorado Art Museum, Boulder.