Harry Morgan

HARRY MORGAN

Harry Morgan’s approach to making fluctuates between the use of intuition, geometry, and material expression. His work is characterized by its unexpected marrying of materials and experimental approach to traditional processes. Reimagining the ancient crafts of glassblowing and concrete casting, his work challenges both the physical and cultural connotations of his chosen materials.

“In the age of social polarization and the culture wars, my focus as an artist is the interaction of opposites: transparent and opaque; mass and void; robust and fragile. Through contrast the true quality of materials can be highlighted, creating a sense of order, harmony, and balance.”

The use of glass in his work draws inspiration from the ancient Venetian glassblowing technique murrine, where each glass thread is individually pulled by hand from a furnace (shown above)

Since graduating from Edinburgh College of Art in 2014, Morgan has exhibited widely throughout the UK and internationally. He has represented the UK at the European Glass Context in Denmark and the European Prize for Applied Arts in Belgium. As a 2019 Loewe Craft Prize finalist, Morgan had his work was exhibited at Isamu Noguchi’s indoor garden ‘Heaven’ in Tokyo, where the jury awarded him Special Mention. His sculptures are also held in the permanent collections of the Victorian & Albert Museum, The National Museums of Northern Ireland, The European Museum of Modern Glass, and the Loewe Foundation. Morgan is based in Manchester, UK.

“As an artist, my fascination is in the interaction of opposites - transparent and opaque, fragile and dense, glass and concrete. Through this contrast, the true quality of the materials can be highlighted, creating a sense of harmony and balance.”

Untitled (HM051), 2021

Concrete and glass

47.25 x 17.75 x 10 inches

16

14 x 14 inches

Untitled, 2023

Pewter and glass

x

31 x 11 x 11 inches

Untitled (HM023), 2023

Concrete and glass

Untitled (HM148), 2023

Concrete and glass

8 x 12 x 2.75 inches

Untitled (HM148), 2023

Concrete and glass

8.75 x 10 x 4 inches

“Mostly I work with glass and concrete, the silicate siblings. There are many mould-making and finishing processes that cross over between the two mediums, but aside from that they are polar opposites. They both have strong cultural identities and by pairing them together I try to highlight their qualities through contrast.”

“Individually the glass threads are fragile but collectively they are strong enough to support the weight”