Locky Morris (b. Derry,  Northern Ireland, 1960)

Within artwork that has spanned four decades there has been a persistent recurring focus centred around Morris' immediate environment. Mixing humour and seriousness the work,  often likened to a multi-layered dark poetry,  touches on a broad range of subjects, from the highly personal to the public and political. Placing an emphasis on close observation and perceptual manipulation,  works can explore the familiar,  the familial and the interstices and interactions of life. Walking is intrinsic to his process, frequently gleaning materials from liminal spaces,  the edges of the city and coastline. 

He posts regularly to an Instagram account especiallyeverything @lockymorrisartist seeing it as a form of parallel practice. He has also made many works and interventions in the public domain.

During the 80s and 90s Morris became known for producing work that referred and reacted explicitly to the Northern Irish conflict. Some early pieces were shown in the British Art Show touring Britain (1990) and New North (1990) and Strongholds (1991) at the Tate Gallery, Liverpool,  while also being exhibited in his local neighbourhood,  in places like disused bookmakers,  community centres and vacant premises. Recent solo presentations at institutions and galleries have included the RCC in Donegal,  Ireland,  F.E. Mc William Gallery,  Northern Ireland,  Mannheimer Kunstverein,  Germany and Mothers Tankstation,  Dublin. He has collaborated recently with artist Jaki Irvine to show at The Complex Gallery,  Dublin and subsequently Void Gallery,  Derry,  and continues to exhibit widely with group exhibitions at the Thames-Side Studios Gallery,  London,  Mattress Factory,  Pittsburgh,  Eva International,  IMMA,  Dublin,  Mario Mauroner,  Vienna and The National Gallery of Ireland,  Dublin.

EDUCATION

1979-80  

University of Ulster,  Belfast

1980-83  

Manchester Polytechnic, Manchester, England

WORK IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS include

Arts Council Collection, Dublin

The National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin 

IMMA, Dublin

Ulster Museum, Belfast

Wolverhampton Art Gallery 

OPW State Art Collection, Ireland

Belfast Media Group

Donegal County Council

Derry City Council

 

SOLO/TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS/PUBLIC ART PROJECTS  (Selected)

2023

Last chance for a dark wash, Regional Cultural Centre, Donegal, Ireland

Re_sett_ing_s, Jaki Irvine & Locky Morris, Void Gallery, Derry

2022

Re_sett_ing_s, Jaki Irvine & Locky Morris, Complex Gallery, Dublin

Stucaí a Screabháin, Public Artwork for the Áislann Building, Páirc Ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair, Údarás na Gaeltachta 

2021

Outside Job and No. 8, Billboard commissions. The Void Gallery, Derry

2020

Always Never Ending, Art Arcadia (on-line residency)

2019

Once a day every day all day long, F. E. Mc William Gallery, Banbridge, N. Ireland

Once a day everyday all day long, Nerve Visual Gallery, Ebrington, Derry

These Frail Monuments, St Augustines Old Schoolhouse, Derry

The Very Walls, Verbal Arts Centre, Derry

Mergers and acquisitions, Glebe Gallery, Modern art museum, Donegal

2018

Internal/External Artworks, Macmillan Cancer Support Centre, Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry

2017

Stop Lookin’ at Photographs!, Naughton Gallery, Queens, Belfast

We Shall Overcome, Integrated Architectural Artwork, Museum Of Free Derry

2015

Longsleeper, Oakfield Park, Raphoe, Co. Donegal. 

2013

Dead On, Public Artwork, Brooke Park, Derry, Void Sites, Artists' Gardens (City of Culture)

A Week in Goals, Beechwood Shops, Creggan, Derry (City of Culture)

2011

This Then, Regional Cultural Centre, Donegal, Ireland

Window Sill, Context Gallery, Derry, Northern Ireland

2010

From Day One, Mother’s Tankstation, Dublin

This Then, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast

2008

Me and my shadow, Mannheimer Kunstverein, Mannheimer, Germany

2007

The Fid, Old Stone Pier, Moville, Co. Donegal

2006

Polestar, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal

2005

Premises, 3 works for 3 shops, Derry

First Judgement in Ireland, Ballyshannon Courthouse, Donegal

2002

Home Entertainment, Orchard Gallery, Derry

2001

Atlantic Drift, City Council Offices, Strand Road, Derry 

2000

The Work of a Dog, Context Gallery, Derry

Dry, Bundoran Seafront Public Art Trail, Co. Donegal

1999

A Day’s Work (permanent video work) Mullan’s Bar, Little James’ St, Derry

1997

Past Conversation (installation using sound), Old Bookies, Chamberlain Street, Derry

1994

Comm II, Orchard Gallery, Derry

1992

Comm, Cornerhouse, Manchester

1986

In Their Place, Nine Sculptures for Derry City Walls, City Council Arts

1985

Sculpture, Orchard Gallery, Derry

 

GROUP EXHIBITIONS (Selection)

2023/24

Periodical Review 13—Maslow’s Hammer, Pallas Projects Studios, Dublin

2023

Breaking the Narrative, Thames-Side Studios Gallery, London

2022

The Golden Fleece Award : 21 Years, Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Co. Meath

WEAREFETISHISTS, (curated by James Merrigan) Garter Lane Gallery, Waterford

2021

Picturing People, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Nothing (but windows) Janie Doherty Locky Morris, CCA, Derry  

2020

The Effects Of Crossing & Self-Aggrandization In The Human Kingdom, Mario Mauroner Gallery, Vienna

Bend in the River (with dance artist Janie Doherty) on-line video work

Be Seeing You, Mannheimer Kunstverein, Mannheim, Germany 

2019

Troubles Art, Nerve Visual, Derry (NMNI)

A Trip Here, A Trip There (with Paola Bernardelli), Sefton Park Palm House, Liverpool 

2018

EVA International, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland 

2017  

So It Is, Mattress Factory Art Museum, Pittsburgh, PA. USA

2014/15 

Invisible Violence, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade, Serbia. Artium, Basque Museum- Centre for Contemporary Art, Vitoria, Spain, Salzberger Kunstverein, Austria

Be my guest: Glumba Skzx, Ex Elettrofonica,  Rome, Italy

Vanishing Futures, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast

2014  

Art of The Troubles, Ulster Museum, Belfast.

The Faraway Nearby, FE Mc Williams Gallery, Banbridge.  

Re-Framing the Domestic in Irish Art, Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda, Ireland                              

2013  

Tomorrows Almost Over, Void, Derry

2012
  

All Humans Do, White Box, Broome St, New York City

All Humans Do, The Model, Sligo, Ireland                    

Are We There Yet, Glenties, The Warehouse, Donegal, Ireland

You Are Now Entering, Centre for Contemporary Art. Derry-Londonderry

What became of the people we used to be?  Tulca Festival, Galway, Ireland

2011  

The Walls That Divide Us, Apexart, Church Street, NYC,

2009  

Fantopia. A state of impossible perfection. Or, how to live with perfect people (and not kill them)

Mother’s tankstation, Dublin,

2008  

A Shout in the Street, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast.

2007  

Things we may have missed, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast,

2006  

The Disembodied Eye, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast

Dogs Have No Religion, Czech Museum of Fine Arts, Prague (toured to Tralee, Ireland)

2005
  

The Trouble with Talkies, ADI Space, London


2003  

B-Lomo (artists engage with Leopold Bloom) Context Gallery,  Derry


2002–3
 

Something Else: Contemporary Art From Ireland, Turku Art Museum; Amos Anderson
 Art Museum, Helsinki; Oulu City Art Museum; Joensuu Art Museum


2001
  

Small Steps, Context Gallery, Derry; Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin
 

Bloody Sunday (with Willie Doherty and Philip Napier), Orchard Gallery, Derry


2000
  

In Search of Experience – Reconsidering the Readymade, Green on Red Gallery, Dublin 

Small Steps, The Ellipse Art Centre, Washington

One of those Days, Mannheimer Kunstverein, Germany

1998
  

Culture in Conflict, The Puffin Room, New York


1996  

L’Imaginaire Irlandais, L’École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts, Paris

1994
  

Dirty, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham

Schnittstellen, Heidelberger Kunstverein, Germany

1992  

In-between, XLV Bienalle Venezia (part of an artwork for the Turkish Pavilion – Adam Yilmaz/Jarg Geismer) 

1991 

Kunst Europa, Mannheimer Kunstverein, Germany  

Strongholds, Tate Gallery, Liverpool


1990  

British Art Show, McLelland Galleries, Glasgow; Leeds City Art Gallery; Hayward Gallery, London


New North, Tate Gallery, Liverpool; Laing Gallery, Newcastle; Third Eye Centre, Glasgow; Orchard Gallery, Derry, Mappin Gallery, Sheffield


1988
  

GPA Awards for Emerging Artists, Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin
  

Sculpture Open ’88, City Centre, Dublin


1987
  

Directions Out, Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin
  

State of the Nation, Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry


1986  

Place as Object, Art and Research Exchange, Belfast


Political Life, Cornerhouse, Manchester


1984
 

New Art From Manchester, Salford Art Gallery
 

Object Matters, Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool



Irish Exhibition of Living Art, Guinness Hop Store, Dublin


AWARDS



2022  

The Golden Fleece Award, Winner

2020  

SIAP Award, Arts Council of Northern Ireland

2016

O’Malley Award for Art, Irish American Cultural Institute

2005
  

Visual Arts Award, Arts Council of Northern Ireland


2003
  

Major Individual Artist Award, Arts Council of Northern Ireland


2001
  

Art for Architecture Award, RSA, London


1994
  

Visual Arts Award, Arts Council of Northern Ireland


1992
  

Visual Arts Award, Arts Council of Northern Ireland


1990
  

Visual Arts Award, Arts Council of Northern Ireland


1989 


GPA Award for emerging artists


1988
  

Visual Arts Awards, Arts Council of Northern Ireland

 

ARTICLES

/REVIEWS (Selection)

2023

Re_sett_ing_s, Jaki Irvine and Locky Morris by John Graham, VAI, Visual Artists Ireland. Jan/Feb

2020

Four decades of Irish Sculpture, In their Place (1987) Locky Morris, Declan Sheehan, Visual Artists' News Sheet, Special Issue March /April

A trip here, a trip there - a correspondance. Locky Morris/Paola Bernardelli. Gregory Mc Cartney, Liverpool Irish Festival On Line
2019 
The Physicality of Looking, Joanne Laws, Visual Artists' News Sheet, Sept/Oct

2018

Beyond Titles, Rachel Donnelly, Totally Dublin, April

2017

Stop Lookin’ at Photographs, Locky Morris, Dennis Mc Nulty, Circa Online

Stop Lookin’ at Photographs, Locky Morris, Iain Griffin, Visual Artists' News Sheet

Between Image and Object, Locky Morris, Declan Long, Source Magazine

2010  

From Day One, Jane Humphries, Circa Online review

This Then, Locky Morris. Miguel Amado, Artforum, Dec

This Then, Locky Morris, Gail Prentice, Art Monthly Oct. 2010

This Then, Locky Morris, Robert Clark, The Guardian, Saturday 28th August

Wasafiri, International Contemporary Writing, Issue No. 62, Summer

2000
  

Sightlines, Michael O’Sullivan, The Washington Post, 26 May
. 

The Work of a Dog, Locky Morris, Declan Sheehan, Frieze, 54,  Sept/Oct


One of those Days,  Mannheimer Morgen, Germany 23 September 


1999
  

In Search of Experience, The Sculpture Society of Ireland,  March/April


1996
  

Art from the Edge, Part 1I Judith Higgins, Art In America


Libérés des tabous, les plasticiens irlandais explorent le devenir de leur île, Geneviève Breerette, Le Monde, 4 June


1994 
 

Sculptors get their hands dirty, Robert Clark, The Guardian, 25 January

Comm II, Locky Morris, Elaine Hogg,  Orchard Gallery, Derry, Circa, 68, Summer


Comm II, Locky Morris, Colin Darke,  Orchard Gallery, Derry, Frieze, 18 September


1991
  

A New Generation Maps Out The Troubles, Tom Lubbock, The Independent on Sunday, March

A drop of the Irish, Sarah Craddock, ‘’, The Guardian, 20 February

Eminent Formorians: Irish Art in Liverpool, Sean Cubbitt, Circa
 

1990  

Woolly or Wily‘?’, 
Richard Cork,  The Listener, 5 July


Signposts across the great divide, Tom Lubbock, The Independent on Sunday, 27 June


1987
  

Directions Out, Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin, John Roberts, Artscribe, Sept/Oct

1986  

In Their Place: Anthony Gormley/Locky Morris: City Walls, Derry, Deirdre O'Connell, Circa, July/August


Political Life: Cornerhouse, Manchester, John Roberts, Artscribe,Nov/Dec

CATALOGUES/PUBLICATIONS (Selection)

Upcoming 

Routledge Companion to Irish Art, edited by Fionna Barber & Fintan Cullen 

Last Chance For A Dark Wash, Locky Morris (text by Jaki Irvine) Designed by Oonagh Young. Published by Regional Cultural Centre, Donegal

2024

Abridged 0 - 1816, Verbal Arts Centre, Derry

2023

Breaking the Narrative, Broughton  and Birnie, Catalogue, London

Coast to Coast, Turning time into Space, Locky Morris, edited by Michael Smyth, Frank Delaney

2022

Irish Art 1920-2020 Perspectives on change, Catherine Marshall and Yvonne Scott, Editors. Royal Irish Academy, Trinity College Dublin and Fred Krehbiel

WE ARE FETISHISTS, Screen printed Zine, Small night projects, James Merrigan 

Locky Morris / Block Basics, Screen printed Zine, Small night projects, James Merrigan 

2021

Picturing People, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, Catalogue

2020

Be Seeing You, Mannheimer Kunsverein, Germany, Catalogue (text Martin Stather) 

2019

Once a day every day all day long, Locky Morris, FE Mc William Gallery, Catalogue (text Anne Tallentire, David Haughey) 

SIC Intertrashional #5 ROOT, Bea McMahon

2018

38th Eva International, Ireland’s Bienalle, Limerick Ireland, Catalogue

Alt. Abridged Magazine, Verbal Arts Centre, Derry (Covers and all art, Locky Morris)

2016

Stop Lookin’ at Photographs! Catalogue (text Chris Fite-Wassilak)

Two Birds One Stone, Farmleigh House, Dublin. OPW. Catalogue (text Janet Mullarney)

Invisible Violence, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade,/Artium, Basque Museum - Centre for Contemporary Art, Spain. Salzburger  Kunstverein. Catalogue (multiple texts including Declan Long)

2015

Vanishing Futures, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast. Catalogue (text Peter Richards)

2014  

Art and Architecture of Ireland, Volume 3 : Sculptors 1600 – 2000. The Royal Irish Academy and Yale University Press

Old Borders, New Technologies, Re-Framing Film and Visual Culture in Contemporary Northern Ireland, by Paula Blair. Peter Lang International Academic Publishers

The Faraway Nearby, Catalogue, FE McWilliams Gallery, Banbridge. Catalogue (text Slavka Sverakova)

2013  

A Week in Goals, Locky Morris. Catalogue (text Declan Sheehan) 

Art In Ireland since 1910  by Fionna Barber, Reaktion Books

2010  

Mother’s Annual,  Mother's Tankstation, Dublin (text 
Luke Clancy)           

Conspiracy Dwellings: Surveillance in Contemporary Art, Outi Remes and Pam Skelton,  Cambridge Scholar Publishing


This Then, Locky Morris, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast, RegionalCultural Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
 (texts John M. Cunningham, Chris Clarke) 

2008
  

A Shout in the Street: Collective Histories of Northern Irish Art, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast
 (text Declan Mc Gonagle)

Harrowing of the Heart, The poetry of Bloody Sunday, Edited by Julieann Campbell & Tom Herron, Guildhall Press

2007
  

Art and the Disembodied Eye: Collective Histories of Northern Irish Art, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast
 (text Liam Kelly)

2006
  

Dogs Have No Religion, Czech Museum Of Fine Arts
 (Locky Morris: Lucky) Catalogue (text Declan Sheehan
)

Two Minds, Artists and Architects in collaboration, Jes Fernie (ed.) Black Dog Publishing Ltd, London


2005 
 

Notes on ‘Itch’, by Locky Morris Anne Tallentire, 1+1+1, Issue 2, Double Agents, London


2003
  

Home Entertainment, Locky Morris, Orchard Gallery, Derry. Catalogue (unpublished) (texts Padraig Timoney, Conor Mc Feely)

2002  

Something Else: Contemporary Art from Ireland, Turku Art Museum, Finland. Catalogue

2001  


Dispersal Anne Tallentire/John Seth,  Orchard Gallery. Catalogue (CD insert - collaborative sound work Locky Morris/ Conor Mc Feely) 

2000  

One of Those Days,  exh. cat., Mannheimer Kunstverein, Germany

The Work of a Dog, Context Gallery, Derry (text Conor Mc Feely, Declan Sheehan, Locky Morris)

Practise, Practice,  In Context,  Context Gallery, Derry
 (interview)

Small Steps, Kaleidoscope.
 Catalogue (text Caoimhín Mac Giolla Leith)

1997
  

Modern Irish Art, Dorothy Walker, Lilliput Press, Dublin


Popular MechanicsConor Mc Feely,  Context Gallery, Derry. Catalogue (text/poem Locky Morris)

1996  

L'imaginaire Irlandais, L’École supérieure des beaux-arts, Paris
. Catalogue (texts Dorothy Walker, Liam Kelly, Luke Gibbons, Caoimhín Mac Giolla Leith)

Thinking LongContemporary Art in the North of Ireland, Liam Kelly, Gandon Editions


1994 


Hygiene, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham
. Catalogue 

1994  

Comm, Orchard Gallery, Derry. Catalogue/ artist's book (text Angela Kingston)  

1994  

Schnittstellen, Heidelberger Kunstverein, Germany
. Catalogue (multiple texts including Martin Stather)

1994  

The City as Art: Interrogating the Polis, Liam Kelly (ed) A. I. C. A.

1993  

Kunst Europa,  Mannheimer Kunstverein, Germany. Catalogue (multiple texts)


1993  

Irrland Ireland Irland, Jurgen Schneider, Sonnerband der edition Druckhaus 11


1992  

Strongholds, Tate Gallery, Liverpool
. Catalogue (text Penelope Curtis)

1990
  

British Art Show, Hayward Gallery, London
. Catalogue (texts including Andrew Nairne) 

1990  

New North, Tate Gallery, Liverpool
. Catalogue (texts Lewis Biggs, Declan Mc Gonagle)

1988
  

GPA Awards for Emerging Artists, Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin
. Catalogue 

1997  

Directions Out, Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin. Catalogue (text Brian Mc Avera)



 

Locky Morris ©