Morris glass exhibition in Daytonis nothing short of stunning

"Mazorca Installation" (top) with detail (bottom), William Morris, 2004, blown glass, steel, rope. 12 feet x 3 feet x 10 feet. Photographs: Rob Vinnedge.

My mouth fell open each time I entered a new room in the Dayton Art Institute's special exhibition William Morris: Myth, Object and the Animal. It's a jaw-dropping showcase for the master glassblower, who was born in Carmel, trained at the famed Pilchuck Glass School outside Seattle, worked for glass superstar Dale Chihuly, then struck out on his own before retiring from glass the year before last at the ripe age of 50.

Unlike so many Chihuly U vets, Morris' work would never be mistaken for his that of his former employer. Instead of imitating Chihuly's bright, abstract forms, Morris opted for realism. His work is deeply rooted in the natural world as well as the mythic with references to the cultures and stories of the American Northwest and Southwest, Central and South America, Africa and the ancient world. The pieces - all of them blown and sculpted glass but many of them looking as though they were molded or cast - are remarkably realistic and at the same time so fantastic in their exaggerated size and unusual pairings that they become surreal.

My favorite work is the totemic installation "Mazorca," an engrossing homage to the life-sustaining qualities of corn in which gourds, skulls, corn cobs, tools and an array of objects hang from thick pieces of rope to form a curtain. At its hem are beautiful vessels decorated with corn patterns. The colors are deep, rich, earthy - with a rich patina that makes it appear they've been dug out of the ground. The gallery is darkened, adding to the sense of mystery. There is much, much more to see including the spectacular "Cache," a 36-foot long installation composed of dozens of large, translucent tusks arranged to give the impression of the hull of a ship. Cradled within are blackened bones, skulls, weapons and tools that raise the spectre of violence and death.

Cache installation, William Morris, 1996, blown glass, metal, wood. 5 feet x 6 feet x 36 feet. Photograph: Rob Vinnedge

I was so wowed that I'm already planning a return revisit - with a few people in tow. I'm not sure when, the exhibit continues through May 31, but it could be as early as Sunday. That's when Dr. James Yood, Art Historian at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, will give a lecture about the "time travel" aspect of the exhibition It's at 2 p.m. and is free for members & students, $8 for others. Oh, I should tell you that the exhibition is free for members and children ages 6 and under but is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and college students, and $5 for ages 7-18. Parking is free, as is general admission to the institute's permanent collection.


Postscript: On the way to the special exhibition galleries, you'll walk through the Institute's glass gallery, which is always impressive. It boasts some striking additions to the collection that I couldn't resist snapping a few photos of. They include Richard Jolley's whimsical "Elephant Walk" (above, left, hot sculpted glass, 2007) and David Huchthausen's kaleidoscopic "Telstar Sphere" (cold-worked, assembled glass, 2006).