New York, NY – In collaboration with Playboy Enterprises, internationally renowned pop artist Burton Morris and Taglialatella Galleries are pleased to present Painting Playboy: Burton Morris, an exhibition of original paintings inspired by the historical connection between Playboy and pop art.
In Painting Playboy, Morris revisits the deep roots of Playboy’s past artist collaborations by exploring one of the most iconic and recognizable images beyond any of the magazine’s famous pictorials; the Playboy Bunny logo. Many months in the making, the collection consists of, in part, 64 separate works, one for each year since 1953, the year Hugh M. Hefner founded the iconic American brand.
Art has been central to the spirit of Playboy magazine ever since Hugh Hefner launched it from his kitchen table in Chicago, IL. A cartoonist himself, Hefner sought the world’s most influential artists to help form an identity for his magazine. Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, LeRoy Neiman, Tom Wesselmann, Larry Rivers, James Rosenquist, and Keith Haring are just a handful of the famous artists who contributed their fun, colorful and provocative imagery to Playboy. Now, sixty-four years after Hugh Hefner created a world-wide source of influence on pop culture and art, his son Cooper Hefner has taken on the task of continuing Playboy’s creative synergy beyond the magazine and into the world of fine art.
Burton Morris first became known across America as the artist who provided a constant colorful presence with his bold, energetic coffee cup painting hanging on the set of the NBC television sitcom Friends in the mid 1990’s. Since then, Morris is arguably one of the most sought-after pop artists by companies and institutions looking for a fresh take on corporate culture. Over the years, Morris has put his own spin on some of the world’s most iconic brands, including Coca Cola, Rolex, Sony, Perrier, Kellogg’s, Ford, Chanel, and Shake Shack to name a few. He also created signature artwork for events including the 76th Annual Academy Awards, the 2006 MLB All-Star Game, the 38th Montreal Jazz Festival, the 2016 USGA U.S. Open, the 2010 FIFA World Cup and The United States Olympic Team. Morris’ artwork is featured in over a dozen public museums and hangs in many trend-setting collections, including Brad Pitt, Kanye West, Oprah Winfrey, Stan Lee, Tommy Hilfiger and many others.
In light of the recent passing of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, the show will be dedicated in his honor, celebrating the bunny icon he made so famous.
Taglialatella Galleries will host an opening reception (6-9pm) on November 9th at the flagship location in Chelsea, 229 10th Avenue, New York, NY. The exhibition will be open to the public on Friday, November 10th and runs through December 8th, 2017. Attendance is strictly by invitation only.
For more information please call (212) 367-0881, visit www.taglialatellagalleries.com or email info@djtfa.com. Media and VIP preview: 4-6pm, November 9th, 2017.