Sep 20

Mallory Morrison

Mallory Morrison is an aquatic figurative photographer who has exhibited in art fairs and galleries across the United States and in Germany. She is represented by Lumas Gallery in Berlin and her work has been featured in solo exhibitions at Camerawork Gallery in Portland and Gallery 291 at Mill Valley, California. Mallory’s most recent group exhibitions have been in California and Hawaii in venues such as Arena 1 Gallery and Art Project Paia. With extensive participation in art fairs, Mallory has displayed at The Other Art Fair in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, and Dallas with repeated and regular showings at the Beverly Hills Art Show. Additional art fairs include WestEdge Design Fair in Santa Monica, Mission Federal Artwalk in San Diego, and Jackalope Art fair in Old Town Pasadena, California. Mallory has been ranked and published as one of the top 100 female artists in the Saatchi Art catalogue and other recent publications include an artist profile feature in My Modern Met as well as a cover photo and article in Popular Photography Magazine.

Always portraying submerged figures, typically female, Mallory hires models to immerse themselves in large pools and bodies of water. The photography usually captures the numerous motions the models make creating various ballet-like poses and sometimes interacting with free-flowing folds of fabric. Through monochromatic compositions, Mallory depicts large portions of negative space of solid water color followed by a break of figures wearing colorful attire.

As a former ballet dancer with 24 years of experience, Mallory felt the art form was restrictive in the inherit temporary nature. In water, Mallory can capture her models dancing in complete suspension giving her time to portray the right pose as opposed to the finite seconds of leaping through the air in gravity. The figures appear as if almost frozen, captive within the subtle light penetrating the water with their limbs, attire, and fabric flowing organically amidst the aqua. With a sense of suspense and suspension, the figures dance dramatically, extending their limbs and curving their torsos which express emotional impulses. The color of the lighting within the water creates a sense of deep aesthetic rhythm which softly caresses the curvature of the figures.

Resurrect (pictured above) represents a central figure who floats and stands in a free form manner amongst the vast expanse of the water. She comes across like divinity with her traditional, modest gown spread out like a gust of wind as if she were flying. Like the titan goddess Gaia she stands within nature embracing those who seek her spiritual guidance. The inherent embracement of her pose along with the large portions of negative space indicate trance and meditative inducing imagery.

With a sense of grand theatrics, Mallory Morrison creates her own personal version of high aesthetics through an unconventional technique of photographing underwater. These imposing compositions communicate contemporary aesthetics through capturing motion in a frozen state amidst a tension of empty space. Like a filmmaker, Mallory engages the viewer with grandeur by creating characters who interact with their surroundings as if to communicate with others. Free flowing and nuanced, these beautiful photographs convey a sense of heightened awareness and appreciation towards natural interactions.