Review: The peculiar appeal of Rebecca Morris’ paintings, on view in L.A.
by Tom King
April 1st was a big day for Rebecca Morris in Los Angeles: the debut of her work at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The show is at its twelfth anniversary, and the date had been chosen by Ms. Morris herself, who wanted to celebrate her new work with the museum that housed so many of her earlier pieces. We’ve been following her progress in an editorial about her art here at The Los Angeles Times.
The opening event for the show was an evening with Rebecca, where her paintings and drawings of the California landscape appeared for the first time. From the Los Angeles Times:
In her opening speech, Ms. Morris recalled how she “fell in love with” Los Angeles a generation ago, by then living on the edge of the city’s notorious Van Nuys Boulevard, where she would hitchhike to the nearest gallery. Then she discovered that she could not afford to leave, so she stayed.
“I stayed until you went away,” Ms. Morris said, referring to the museum’s late founder, William Lipscomb, who took his museum and his fortune and disappeared.
She talked about how she has worked to stay on the Los Angeles art scene over the years, as a “pioneer” who has helped sustain the museum, and as a teacher and mentor who has taught students in the county.
“When you stay, you tend to become part of the community. And you become part of the culture,” she said. Ms. Morris said she has been the “pioneer of a whole generation of students who came before me who had studied with me and who had learned with me and who have come after me.”
“I am really honored to be opening this show with William Lipscomb, who has had a tremendous effect on my work and who I have come to admire,” Ms. Morris said.
The fact that Rebecca is actually
