Frank Morrison "Wonder World" Exhibition Walkthrough

Exhibition Videos
Richard Beavers Gallery, Brooklyn is pleased to present WONDER WORLD a solo exhibition by Frank Morrison this will be the artist third showing with the gallery. WONDER WORLD November 18, 2023 - January 31, 2023 The innocence of childhood allows our imaginations to envision futures that are larger than life. The ability to be anyone, do anything, and experience all that the world has to offer feels as if it is at our fingertips. This youthful wonder soon becomes obscured by reality. It is at this crucial moment, where we begin to lose this sense of unfettered curiosity, that Frank Morrison creates his paintings. In “WONDER WORLD”. The collection of works challenges misrepresentations of life in black communities through a new set of imagery intended to encourage creativity and hope that is often nonexistent for these children.   The exhibition focuses on Morrison’s series of works that invite us to return to our youth. While they showcase his history as a storyteller and illustrator of children’s books, they also allow us to dive deeper into his personal journey as an artist. Growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, he watched as the icons of popular culture rarely shared the stories of those that he resembled. The color comic strips of the Sunday paper had few to no individuals of color, and when they did, rarely were they given a voice that showcased their backgrounds, families, and cultures. Superheroes, who have perpetuated symbols of justice, were exclusively white, leaving little room for young black children to aspire, dream, or envision for themselves. Nonetheless, Morrison’s admiration of comics, of both their style and influence, seeped into his work.   “WONDER WORLD”,  on display in Brooklyn, serves as a compelling prelude to the captivating narrative presented in “BRILLIANCE BEHIND THE LINE”, a concurrent exhibition in Soho. The latter series, also by Morrison, delves profoundly into the resilient journey of Black communities as they triumph over deliberately imposed barriers, illuminating their brilliance.