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An abstract 3D render of a geometric form in bold colours. A large orange block is accented by a blue inner slope and a purple side, set against a black shadow.

Experiments in geometric shapes, cut-out, collaged and drawn typography by artist Michael Morris

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Date
13 October 2015

Typewriter drawings, cut-out lettering and early experiments in Letraset; geometric forms, graphic collage and concrete poetry make up the work of artist Michael Morris, as covered in new book, Letters: Michael Morris and Concrete Poetry. Designed by Studio Blackwell, the book is rich with imagery covering the breadth of his practice and observations. There are sharp lines and soft tones, cubes with speech bubbles, mirrors spread along beaches and collages of people drinking, kissing and being assassinated as well as more traditional, structural experiments in typography.

Michael’s work manages to be both aesthetically straightforward and contextually engaging, striking a difficult balance with a sense of humour and composition. Letters: Michael Morris and Concrete Poetry is published by Black Dog and accompanied the exhibition at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

An abstract painting of a geometric structure in shades of green, blue and brown. The composition creates an optical illusion of depth, resembling a series of interlocking architectural planes.
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Michael Morris: Glade, 1964

A black and white graphic illustration of a circular, spiked form split horizontally by a white gap. Concentric rings of bold, uppercase letters and geometric symbols fill the centre.
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Michael Morris: Letter Mandala, 1968

A blue and white geometric illustration featuring a series of abstract shapes and patterns. A large, striped semi-circle radiates from the centre, sitting above a grid of small squares.
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Michael Morris: Footlight Parade, 1967

A grid of 12 black and white graphic elements, arranged in four rows of three. Each element consists of a small circle containing a letter or number, connected by radiating lines to a curved, serrated base. The circles contain the characters “1”, “s”, and “d” in a repeating pattern.
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Michael Morris: Untitled, 1968

A 3D geometric sculpture in the shape of a capital “V”. The form is painted in bold blocks of red, blue, green, purple and orange against a plain white background.
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Michael Morris: Marienbad, 1968

A black and white illustration featuring two identical mirrored panels. Each shows a striped, geometric shape with a speech bubble floating above it against a lined background. A grid of small squares frames the top and bottom, with a row of circles containing lowercase letters running across the base.
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Michael Morris: For Ernst Jandl, 1967

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About the Author

Billie Muraben

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Billie studied illustration at Camberwell College of Art before completing an MA in Visual Communication at the Royal College of Art. She joined It’s Nice That as a Freelance Editorial Assistant back in January 2015 and continues to work with us on a freelance basis.

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