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Installation and book
Installation and book, Sharon Morris
Wales
Wales, Sharon Morris
Caldey
Caldey, Sharon Morris
Ash
Ash, Sharon Morris
Ash, winter
Ash, winter, Sharon Morris
Sharon Morris
Sharon Morris
Installation and book
Installation and book, Sharon Morris
Sharon Morris
Sharon Morris

Slade School of Fine Art
University College London
Gower Street
London
WC1E 6BT


Biography

Born in west Wales I studied painting and fine art media at the Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, completing my PhD at the Slade in 2000. While teaching I also studied for an MA in psychoanalytic theory at Middlesex University, graduating in1996.

As a visual artist, poet and theorist, I am fascinated by the relation between words and images, and my work is best described as cross-disciplinary.

Research Interests

My visual work includes drawing, photography, film, video and audio-visual installation, accompanied by written or spoken texts revolving around themes of place, subjectivity and identity. Early exhibitions include: About Time, ICA, 1982; Audio Arts, Tate Gallery, 1982; Showroom Gallery, 1988; Ffotogallery, Cardiff, 1990, 1992. My 16mm film Cylch yr Ynys, ACGB funded, 1992, is distributed by LUX.

This led to doctoral study on the relation between words and images within the act of self-reference, in particular the photomontages of surrealist Claude Cahun and the prose and poetry of author H.D. The theoretical framework, using the semiotics of the American philosopher C.S.Peirce to re-read Freud, has formed the basis of my continuing research, for which I received a Leverhulme Fellowship in 2003. My critical papers include ‘Peirce and the Image: the Work of Art and the Sign’, Università degli Studi di Urbino, 2007; ‘Bild, Imagismus und das Kunstwerk’, Kassel University Press, 2009; and ‘Open the Page’, Inside the View: Helen Sear. ed Drake, D. (Cardiff: Ffotogallery Wales, 2012); and ‘Peirce and the Image: Re-staging the Sign’, RS•SI Recherches sémiotiques / Semiotic Inquiry, 2015.

My first collection of poems, False Spring, Enitharmon Press, 2007, was shortlisted for the Aldeburgh prize for a first collection and anthologised in The Forward book of Poetry, 2008; Rome: A Collection of the Poetry of Place, 2008. I received a Hawthornden Fellowship in 2009 to work on a further collection, Gospel Oak, Enitharmon Press, 2013. An artist’s book of poetry and images, The Moon is Shining on my Mother, commissioned by the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea, for the exhibition The Moon and a Smile, and published by Enitharmon Editions, 2017, is held in various public collections including the V&A, the British Library, National Library of Wales, LLGC and Stanford University. Readings of poems from these collections are available on The Archive of Now.

Performances of poetry with visuals and video include ‘For the Oak’, e-and-eye, Tate Modern, 2006; and Crazy Wisdom, King’s Place, London, 2009; PolyPly, 2010; Camden Arts Centre, 2013. Readings include Other Words. 3rd San Francisco International Poetry Festival, 2003; Starting at Zero, Kettle’s Yard Gallery, Cambridge, 2006; Poetry International, South Bank, 2014; a collaboration with Sampurna Chatterji, Gelynion – The Enemies Project: Wales, 2015; Multilingual World Literature, Swansea, 2017; Fast Forwards, Lefverhulme network, 2019.

The research on the relation between words and images is currently focussing on the concept of the ‘macaronic’ as the juxtaposition of languages and images within the framework of the same poem, or artwork, as a means of questioning translation. Essays that articulate this concept exemplified in The Moon is Shining on my Mother include a review of macaronic pamphlets, Poetry Wales, 2016, vol. 52, no.3; and ‘The Contemporary Macaronic in Wales' in Thinking Through Relation: Encounters in Creative Critical Writing', 2021.

With Prof. Clare Lees, director of the Institute of English Studies, SAS, University of London, and 5 Slade colleagues, I established MiCA (Medieval in Contemporary Art) bringing together artists, writers, medievalists, and curators to realise research into medieval artefacts as a resource for contemporary art and poetry.

Currently I am co-PI on the network Spineless Wonders with Institute of English Studies, SAS, UoL; Manchester School of Art, MMU; and dept. of English, University of Dundee https://www.ucl.ac.uk/slade/project/spineless-wonders. This project aims to promote research, teaching and public engagement with Small Press Collections in libraries and collections across the UK.

Teaching Summary

Appointed in 1995 to set up the BA in Fine Art Media at the Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, I have worked on several programmes across the Slade and UCL, including Head of Undergraduate Fine Art Media, 1998-2008, teaching a Slade module for UCL Film Studies, supervising Slade MA dissertations and running a course on Moving Image for the Slade History and Theory of Art programme; and I was Head of the Slade PhD programme from 2010-2022.

As Primary Supervisor I have supervised over 20 doctoral students to completion and currently supervise 5.

In 2011 I was fortunate to be awarded a Provost’s teaching award.

Exhibitions

The Moon and a Smile
2017 - Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea, Wales, UK

A series of 12 artist books with 28 poems and 48 digital photographs also printed as 12 scrolls plus 6 still photographic digital prints. The work responds to the early 19th century photographer Mary Dilwyn Llewellyn

‘Yellow Oak’ and ‘I wanted Green’.
2013 - Rowing

‘Yellow Oak’ stone lithography print and ‘I wanted Green’, 16mm film installation.

The din of happiness
2013 - 16mm Film - Camden Arts Centre, London

Film-poem; engraved text on oak panel with 16mm film black and white loop projection commissioned by Lucy Reynold's work ANTHOLOGY.

I wanted Wood
2012 - Camden Arts Centre

Filmpoem: 16mm black and white film projection onto a sculptural object with a textual inscription from my book 'Gospel Oak'.

London's Burning, video of performance
2012 - Triangle Space, 16 Islip St. London, SW1 4JU

'Without Boats, Dreams dry Up'
Organised by Cape Farewell, ecological issues in the arts and sciences

In Touch no, 15
1995 - Cooltan Arts Centre

Photo-text work, black and white

In Touch no. 8
1995 - Cafe Gallery

Photo-text black and white

Changing Light installation
1995 - Wrexham Arts Centre

Video installed

Changing Light
1994 - Smith Street Gallery, London

Set on the island of Skokholm off the coast of Pembrokeshire

'Everyday', and 'Away, Away'
1992 - MOMA Oxford; Leeds City Art Gallery

Sound works

Circle the Island
1992 - Aberystwyth Arts Centre; Rhyl Arts Centre; Ffotogallery, Cardiff

Installation of 108 photographs

Yr Ynys: The Island
1990 - Ffotogallery, Cardiff

Installation of still photographs with sounds and spoken text, taking the theme of the islands of Pembrokeshire

The Sound Between
1989 - AVE Festival, Arnhem, NL;London Film Festival, London Filmmaker's Co-op

Video installation with sound based on the coastline of Pembrokeshire

Yellow Lemon in 'Green House: Yellow Lemon'
1989 - Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff; Spacex Arts Centre, Exeter; Chisenhale Gallery, London

Installation of still photographs, projections of stills, sound set on the island of Crete. A joint touring exhibition with Helen Sear.

The Moon is Shining on My Mother
1988 - Chapter Arts Centre

Photographs and sound installation addressing the shift in language from Welsh to English

Between Themselves
1988 - Showroom Gallery, London

Installation with images addressing power structures using Sissinghurst as metaphor.
Exhibition with Simon Biggs

Where is the Moment?
1987 - London Filmmaker's Co-op

Tape-slide sequence with spoken text

Institute of Measurement and Control
1985 - Spacex Arts Centre, Exeter; Plymouth Arts Centre

Photographs with sound work by Stuart Brisley

Food as Metaphor
1984 - Camerawork, London

Collaborative photographic installation work with Janet Anderson and Stuart Brisley

Seascape
1982 - Tate Gallery

Tape-slide taking driftwood turning as a metaphor for processes of history

Family Portrait
1981 - ICA, London; Third Eye Centre, Glasgow; Arnolfini Bristol; Franklin Furnace, New York

Tape-slide audio work with spoken text addressing issues of identity and subjectivity

We Thought we Could Walk on Water
- South London Gallery

Still photograph with spoken text taken the frozen sea in Helsinki as metaphor

Publications

The tree, spring and well
- Chapter in Encountering Pain Hearing, seeing, speaking , published by UCL Press , edited by Padfield D,Zakrewska J 2021/02/15

The Contemporary Macaronic in Wales
- Chapter in Thinking Through Relation Encounters in Creative Critical Writing , published by Peter Lang Publishing , edited by Mussgnug F 2021/01/01

Fall
- Other in The Contemporary Medieval in Practice , published by UCL Press , London , edited by Lees C,Overing G 2019/10/07

The Moon is Shining on my Mother
- Journal Article (Print) for Katalog Journal of Photography and Video Vol. 2 , published by Designkompagniet , Kystvej , edited by Friis J 2019/11/01

Digital Humanities and the Erosion of Inquiry
- Chapter in Disrupting the Digital Humanities , published by Punctum Books , Brooklyn, NY 2018/01/01

From Pigments to Solar Power
- Book (Paper, Pigment, Ink) , Slade Press , London 2018/04/01

Merched y Mabinogion
- Conference Presentation (Digital Projection and spoken word) 2018/11/21

Review of four macaronic pamphlets
- Journal Article for Poetry Wales Vol. 3 , published by Poetry Wales Press Ltd. , Bridgend , edited by Davies N 2017/03/01

The Will of the Heart
- Chapter in The Heart's Granary , published by Enitharmon Press , London , edited by Sail L 2017/12/14

The moon is shining on my mother
- Artefact (Paper) 2017/03/03

Songs of the Aveyron and the Ariege: after the Song of Songs
- Chapter in Poetic Biopolitics Political and Ethical Practices in the Arts , published by I. B. Tauris , London New York , edited by Rawes P,Mathews T,Loo S 2016/05/01

Bluestone, Carn Meini, In the Shelter of the Preseli, Carreg Coetan Arthur, Pentre Ifan, The Blue Lagoon.
- Journal Article (Print) for Poetry Wales Vol. 1 , published by Poetry Wales Press Ltd. , Cardiff , edited by Davies N 2016/08/01

Peirce: Re-Staging the Sign in the Work of Art
- Journal Article (Digital and Hard Copy) for RS.SI Association Canadienne de Sémiotique/Canadian Semiotic Association, Vol. 123 , published by Erudit , Montreal 2016/01/13

Indwelling
- Chapter (Book) in Fanfare, poems by contemporary women poets , published by Second Light Publications , London , edited by French W,Wood D 2015/06/01

Songs of the Aveyron and the Ariege, an extract
- Chapter (Book) in Poets in person at the Glassblower , published by Indigo Dreams Publishing , Beaworthy , edited by Zank A 2014/02/01

‘Songs of the Aveyron and the Ariège’: an extract
- Chapter in POETS IN PERSON , Munich 2013/03/01

Gospel Oak: poems
- Artefact 2013/02/12

‘Songs of the Aveyron and the Ariège’: an extract
- Chapter in Poets in Person , Munich , edited by Zank A 2013/03/01

Gospel Oak
- Book , Enitharmon Press , London , edited by Stuart-Smith S 2013/02/12

Trees in Winter
- Internet Publication , Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre 2013/03/25

Chorus
- Journal Article Vol. 1 , The Poetry Society , London , edited by Sampson F 2012/03/01

Opening the Book
- Chapter in Inside the View , published by Ffotograllery Wales, Cardiff , Cardiff 2012/02/01

To the Source
- Journal Article for Shearsman Vol. 93 & 94 , published by Shearsman Books Ltd. , Bristol UK , edited by Frazer T 2012/10/01

'What do We Want? and 'For the Oak'
- Journal Article for Poetry Wales Vol. 3 , published by Poetry Wales , Cardiff, Wales , edited by Skoulding Z 2012/12/01

'Spring' and 'Denumerate'
- Journal Article for Roundyhouse Vol. 32 , published by Roundyhouse , Port Talbot, Wales 2011/01/01

'Headlands'
- Chapter in Poetry tRend: Eine englische-deutsche Anthologie , published by W. Hopf Verlag , Berlin 2010/01/01

Salt of Almonds, poems and black and white photographs
- Internet Publication , Kater Murr Press 2009/01/01

'Blue, Black Permanent' and 'Foel yr Eryr'
- Journal Article for Roundyhouse Vol. 28 , published by Roundyhouse , Port Talbot, Wales 2009/01/01

For the Oak
- Conference Presentation 2009/01/01

Headlands
- Journal Article , poetry tREnD , Munich 2009/01/01

Image, Imagism and the Work of Art, Bild, Imagismus und das Kunstwerk
- Chapter in Bilder BeSchreiben: Intersemiotische Transformationen , published by Begrundet vom Wissenschaftlichen Zentrum fur Kulturforschung der Universitat Kassel. (University of Kassel) , Kassel , edited by Noth W 2009/08/01

Songs of the Aveyron and the Ariege
- Journal Article for Long Poem Magazine Vol. 2 , published by www.longpoemmagazine.org.uk , London 2009/05/25

Hanging On To The Hem Of Your Dress; Song of the Bull; For The Fig Tree; Horses; Rodalquilar;
- Internet Publication , Poetcasting 2009/08/14

Cylch Yr Ynys
- Film (16mm film) , Edinburgh Filmhouse 2008/01/01

Fold
- Chapter in Rome: A Collection of the Poetry of Place , published by Eland , LONDON , edited by Pursglove G 2008/01/01

Spoken text
- Chapter in The Memorial Walks , published by Film and Video Umbrella , London , edited by Pope S 2008/01/01

Like Writing a Line in a Poem (extract). An interview with Sharon Morris by Jacqueline Gabbitas
- Journal Article for Brittle Star Vol. 16 2008/01/01

False Spring: Poems
- Book , Enitharmon Press , London 2007/04/21

Horses
- Internet Publication , Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre 2007/10/15

The will of the heart
- Other 2007/07/14

Readings from Magma Issue 34
- Journal Article for Magma Vol. 34 , published by Magma , London 2007/03/01

Kettle's Yard House
- Chapter in A Room to Live In: A Kettle's Yard Anthology , published by Salt Publishing , Cambridge , edited by Yoseloff T 2007/01/01

Peirce and the Image: The Work of Art and the Sign
- Journal Article for Working Papers , published by Universita degli Studi di Urbino 2007/01/01

Like Writing a Line in a Poem
- Other in Interview with Sharon Morris by Jacqueline Gabbitas Vol. 16 , published by Brittle Star , London 2007/01/01

For the Fig Tree
- Chapter in The Forward Book of Poetry 2008: A Collection of the Best Poems of the Year from the Forward Prize , published by Forward Ltd and Faber and Faber , London 2007/01/01

Woman: for Breda Beban
- Journal Article for Chroma Vol. 4 2006/01/01

Further Notes on the Index
- Journal Article for Journal of the Centre for Photographic Research Vol. 1 , published by University of Wales, Newport 2006/01/01

Artemis at Ephesus [MP3]
- Journal Article for Magma 2006/01/01

'The Incompleteness of Life' and 'Poor, Bare, Forked Animal
- Chapter in This Little Stretch of Life , published by Hearing Eye and The Poetry School , London , edited by Khalvati M 2006/01/01

'Presage' and 'Rattlesnake'
- Journal Article for Poetry Wales 2005/01/01

Three poems from 'Salt of Almonds'
- Book , Kater Murr Press , London/Athens 2004/01/01

Almeria: the first track
- Journal Article for Painted Vol. 6 , published by Price, R. , London 2003/01/01

Sitting on the Fence and Categorical Heart
- Chapter , London: Hearing Eye , London , edited by Rety J 2003/01/01

The Subject of Rhythm
- Conference Moving Image in Art 2002/06/15

'The Subject of Claude Cahun: The Nude and Self-Exposure',
- Conference College Arts Association Conference 2002/02/01

Moving Image as Art: Time-based Media in the Art Gallery (Review)
- Journal Article for Filmwaves Vol. 15 2002/01/01

The Double Intended
- Chapter in Twice Once: The Photographs of Helen Sear , published by Arts Council and Zelda Cheatle Gallery , London , edited by Kent L 2002/01/01

The Subject of Subjectivity
- Chapter in Concepts on the Move , published by Lier en Boog , Amsterdam , edited by Balkema S 2002/01/01

Moving Image in Art
- Journal Article for Filmwaves Vol. 15 2001/01/01

Pool
- Journal Article for Poetry Salzburg Review , published by University of Salzburg , Salzburg 2001/01/01

Shifting Eyes: self-representation in words and images, re-reading Freud through the semiotics of C.S. Peirce, with particular reference to the work of poet H.D. and artist Claude Cahun
- Thesis/Dissertation 2000/01/01

The Purpose of Blue
- Chapter in Tying the Song , published by Enitharmon , London , edited by Khalvati M,Petit P 2000/01/01

Turning a Telescope on the Soul: Freud's Interpretation of the Psyche
- Chapter in Drawing the Soul: Schemas and Models in Psychoanalysis , published by Rebus Press , London/New York , edited by Burgoyne B 2000/01/01

Review of Kaja Silverman
- Journal Article for Feminist Review 1999/01/01

Drawing You
- Chapter in By This , published by Slade School of Fine Art , London , edited by Renton A 1999/01/01

The Androgynous Self: Hoch and Cahun
- Chapter in The Bisexual Imaginary , published by Cassell , London , edited by Bi-Academic I 1998/01/01

The Lacemaker
- Journal Article for Poem Cards , published by Small Press Publication , London 1998/07/01

Editorial with M. Storr
- Journal Article for Journal of Gay, Lesbian and Bi-Sexual Identity 1997/01/01

What's in a Name
- Journal Article for Other Poetry Vol. 8 1997/01/01

Requiem
- Audiovisual Material in Audio Arts Magazine , published by Audio Arts Magazine , London 1982/01/01

Gospel Oak, extract
- Performance

Coming to Welsh: Plurilingua
- Performance

Extract from 'Gospel Oak'
- Performance

Poems from 'Gospel Oak'
- Performance (Performance reading)

Heroines
- Performance

A Collaboration of Poetry: India and Wales
- Performance (Performance reading)

‘H.D., Imagism and Poetry’.
- Performance

‘Yr Onnen and other poems’
- Performance

For the Ash: I'r Onnen
- Performance

Selected Reading
- Performance (Spoken language and live cello music)

The Macaronic: Verbal and Visual
- Other (Live performance)

The Medieval Macaronic
- Conference Presentation (Digital Projection and spoken presentation)

Interval-seasons
- Performance

Other Words
- Performance (Poetry performance for San Francisco 3rd International Poetry Festival at San Francisco Art Institute, USA, 28 Sep 2003)

A selection from collection of poetry 'False Spring' with music
- Performance

Mirror of the Sea
- Performance (Poetry reading, commissioned by Crossing the Line for the Poetry Society, London, 12 Oct 2001.)

Reading of 5 poems from ‘A Room to Live In: A Kettle’s Yard Anthology, ed. Yoseloff, T. (London: Salt publishing, 2007) pp.82-91. ISBN 978 1 84471 420 9
- Performance (Poetry reading/performance with Prof Ian Patterson)

The Purpose of Blue
- Performance (Performance reading, Lauderdale House, London, 15 Feb 2001.)

False Spring:translation into Romanian
- Book , CTIC, Centre for the Translation and Interpretation of the Contemporary Text , Bucharest

Salt of Almonds
- Performance (Poetry reading/performance)

Almerla: Rome/Roma
- Performance (Poetry performance at Moe's bookshop, Berkeley, USA, 6 Oct 2003)

Wishing you: performance
- Performance (Performance at South London Gallery, London.)

After the Songs of Solomon: Songs of the Aveyron and the Ariege
- Performance

'False Spring' and 'Cello Blue'
- Performance (Performance)

Reading from my poetry collection 'False Spring', Enitharmon, 2007.
- Performance (Poetry reading/performance at the Poetry School 10th Anniversary)

The Oak, Crazy Wisdom
- Performance

'Rome', reading
- Performance (Poetry reading/performance)

Rome/Roma, Mirror of the Sea
- Performance (Two poetry performances for Crossing the Line at the Poetry Society Cafe, London, 23 Mar 2003)

For Gospel Oak
- Performance

‘Songs of the Aveyron and the Ariège’,
- Performance

Seascape II
- Artwork

'Each day, Everyday' and 'Away away'
- Artwork in Sound Moves

Cylch yr Ynys
- Film in 16mm colour film with sound and spoken text in English and Welsh

Changing Light
- Film in S8mm black and white film on video

Changing Light
- Film in S8 black and white film on video with spoken text

Peirce and the Image
- Conference Applying Peirce 2

Changing Light
- Film in S8mm film on video: installed as loop installtion

Cylch Yr Ynys
- Film in 16mm colour film with spoken text in English and Welsh

Cylch Yr Ynys
- Film in 16mm colour film with spoken text in English and Welsh

Cylch Yr Ynys
- Film in 16mm colour film with spoken text in English and Welsh

‘Songs of the Aveyron and the Ariège’,
- Chapter in Poetic Biopolitics: new political and ethical practices in the arts and humanities , published by I.B. Tauris , London UK , edited by Rawes P

I Wanted Green
- Performance (16mm film)

Turning to Welsh
- Performance

Extract from 'Gospel Oak', a series of poems
- Performance

Extract from Gospel Oak
- Performance

Extract from Gospel Oak
- Performance

Songs of the Aveyron and the Ariege
- Performance

Extract from Gospel Oak
- Performance

Extract from Gospel Oak
- Performance

Extract from Gospel Oak
- Performance

Extract from Gospel Oak
- Performance

For the Oak
- Performance

Gospel Oak, an extract
- Performance

Gospel Oak, extract
- Performance

Gospel Oak: Blue Bus Series
- Performance

Coming to Welsh
- Performance