Exhibition catalogue for GROUNDED:
JOHNNY MORANT: GROUNDED
2 - 6 December 2019
Royal Opera Arcade (ROA) Gallery
This collection of Morant’s latest work shows an artist driven by the urge to create and a powerful story to tell.
On Christmas Eve 1968, Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders rounded the dark side of the moon and emerged into the light. The view that greeted him would change our relationship with the earth forever: “Earthrise” captured the fragility of our planet and sparked a new age of global awareness.
Viewing the earth as a “pale blue dot” in the vastness of space was a profoundly moving experience. Astronauts witnessed a shift in perspective as they saw boundaries blur and felt divisions diminish; they acknowledged the overarching imperative to protect planet Earth. This enlightened state has been called “the overview effect” and has led some to imagine how world leaders and decision makers might be inspired by experiencing this phenomenon at first hand.
Over the past fifty years we have become increasingly aware of the perilous state of our habitat and with GROUNDED Morant aims to pull together multiple strands of our constantly evolving understanding of human impact. He attempts to explore, rather than judge, our relationship with the planet and the symbiosis between man and nature.
Some of the larger paintings focus on the early pioneers of space exploration as symbols of our ability to meet challenges and unite society. These modern day heroes find themselves grounded in earthly settings and historical scenes immediately at odds with our familiar reality.
In contrast to these confrontational works, Morant has drawn our attention to a less conspicuous mark of our impact; biodiversity indicates the health of our surroundings, non-native flora pose a particular paradox. Each species has an entangled tale to tell; they have migrated, adapted and thrived in hostile environments often as a result of human interference. In these paintings Morant highlights this fragile balance and expresses optimism for an enlightened future.
Johnny Morant (b.1982) is a visual artist exploring themes of sustainability and social awareness influenced by his travels and experiences. He is rapidly gaining recognition for his thought-provoking, accomplished paintings, and his work resides in a growing number of corporate and private collections including Smith & Williamson, Standard Chartered Bank, Prudential plc, Old Mutual plc and P&O Cruises. Morant attended art school in Bristol and Bournemouth and has lived and worked in London, Wiltshire and Amsterdam.
Work can be viewed and reserved at Johnny's studio prior to the exhibition by appointment.
Prints are available here.
Prices from £800 to £5800 for originals, £95 to £530 for limited edition prints.
2 - 6 December 2019
Royal Opera Arcade (ROA) Gallery
This collection of Morant’s latest work shows an artist driven by the urge to create and a powerful story to tell.
On Christmas Eve 1968, Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders rounded the dark side of the moon and emerged into the light. The view that greeted him would change our relationship with the earth forever: “Earthrise” captured the fragility of our planet and sparked a new age of global awareness.
Viewing the earth as a “pale blue dot” in the vastness of space was a profoundly moving experience. Astronauts witnessed a shift in perspective as they saw boundaries blur and felt divisions diminish; they acknowledged the overarching imperative to protect planet Earth. This enlightened state has been called “the overview effect” and has led some to imagine how world leaders and decision makers might be inspired by experiencing this phenomenon at first hand.
Over the past fifty years we have become increasingly aware of the perilous state of our habitat and with GROUNDED Morant aims to pull together multiple strands of our constantly evolving understanding of human impact. He attempts to explore, rather than judge, our relationship with the planet and the symbiosis between man and nature.
Some of the larger paintings focus on the early pioneers of space exploration as symbols of our ability to meet challenges and unite society. These modern day heroes find themselves grounded in earthly settings and historical scenes immediately at odds with our familiar reality.
In contrast to these confrontational works, Morant has drawn our attention to a less conspicuous mark of our impact; biodiversity indicates the health of our surroundings, non-native flora pose a particular paradox. Each species has an entangled tale to tell; they have migrated, adapted and thrived in hostile environments often as a result of human interference. In these paintings Morant highlights this fragile balance and expresses optimism for an enlightened future.
Johnny Morant (b.1982) is a visual artist exploring themes of sustainability and social awareness influenced by his travels and experiences. He is rapidly gaining recognition for his thought-provoking, accomplished paintings, and his work resides in a growing number of corporate and private collections including Smith & Williamson, Standard Chartered Bank, Prudential plc, Old Mutual plc and P&O Cruises. Morant attended art school in Bristol and Bournemouth and has lived and worked in London, Wiltshire and Amsterdam.
Work can be viewed and reserved at Johnny's studio prior to the exhibition by appointment.
Prints are available here.
Prices from £800 to £5800 for originals, £95 to £530 for limited edition prints.