Fresh Perspectives Exhibition at the Morris Museum Opens March 9

The Morris Museum celebrates the creativity of New Jersey high school student artists by hosting the annual Fresh Perspectives juried exhibition, on view from March 9, 2019–June 9, 2019.

Since its founding, the Morris Museum has demonstrated a perennial commitment to arts engagement within the community. The annual Fresh Perspectives exhibition provides talented student artists with a platform to showcase their creations in a professionally-organized museum exhibition. Celebrating not only the students, this juried exhibition also recognizes the art teachers who indelibly shape these emerging artists through their encouragement and tutelage.

Now in its 30th year, Fresh Perspectives has presented 1,500 students from Northern New Jersey with the opportunity to partake in an exhibition that celebrates a variety of artistic practices, including photography, painting, drawing, sculpture, video, and mixed media. Intentionally inclusive and eclectic, the selection of work explores a range of ideas and themes, from abstract self-portraits to meditations on topical social issues.

The number of entries that the museum receives from high schools across the state continues to grow yearly. A record number of 66 high schools sent in submissions this year—over twice the number from last year—several of which were new participants. A total of 142 teachers proposed 514 works for consideration. From this pool, 50 works were selected by three judges to represent 39 teachers and 34 schools.

“The Morris Museum once again extends its many thanks to all those who have made the Fresh Perspective exhibitions possible for the last 30 years—the teachers that shape and support these talented artists, the students who continue to delight us with their ingenuity and heartfelt passion, the jurors who celebrate generations of artistic voices, our dedicated staff, and last but not least, our loyal public. Together we have all worked to advocate for the engagement of youth in the arts over the last three decades and I hope that we continue to do so for decades to come,” states Ronald T. Labaco, Director of Exhibitions and Chief Curator of the Morris Museum.

The panel of jurors for this year’s Fresh Perspectives exhibition is comprised of Sassona Norton, Olga Tetkowski, and Anne Motto. Norton is a venerated international artist, patron of various cultural institutions, and trustee of the Morris Museum. Tetkowski is the Deputy Director of The Drawing Center in New York, a non-profit museum dedicated to the exhibition of both historical and contemporary drawings. Motto is the Curator of Collections at Acorn Hall, as part of the Morris County Historical Society.

Specific criteria for artwork submission emphasized technical execution and viewer impact. Pieces were required to have been completed by a high school student during the current school year (2018-2019). Judges were advised to select work that they found well-executed, technically impressive, unique, interesting, and/or appealing, but ultimately they were encouraged to choose the pieces that spoke to them.

The final selection includes 16 drawings, 10 photographs, 8 paintings, 7 prints, 4 sculptures, 4 mixed media works, and 1 video, on view in the Bickford and Bush-Compton Galleries of the Morris Museum.

Exhibited works:

• Self-Portrait, oil pastel on board, Barack Obama Green Charter High School
• Lies, photograph on paper, Barack Obama Green Charter High School
• Song of the Siren, digital photograph on inkjet photo paper, Bayonne High School
• Donna the Fly, colored pencils on bristol, Bergen Arts and Science Charter School
• Abrasive, pencil on bristol, Bergen Arts and Science Charter School
• Sold, marker on paper, Bergenfield High School
• Sneaker World, colored pencil on paper, Bergenfield High School
• Inner Conflict, pencil on paper, Bergenfield High School
• Exit, inkjet print, Boonton High School
• Mossy Journey, inkjet print, Boonton High School
• From Bethany, graphite and colored pencil on paper, Bridgewater-Raritan High School
• Kaleidoscope Eyes, acrylic paint on baltic birch panel, Bridgewater-Raritan High School
• Road Dot Taken, colored pencil, Bridgewater-Raritan High School
• You Are Enough, video, Communications High School
• Brooklyn Bridge, mosaics and copper wire on wood, Cranford High School
• Grate, digital photograph, Gill St. Bernard’s School
• Out of Elements, oil on canvas, Gill St. Bernard’s School
• Precursor to Corrosion, acrylic on canvas, Glen Ridge High School
• Veneer, acrylic on canvas, Governor Livingston High School
• Twisted, digital photograph on glossy paper, Hanover Park High School
• Untitled, digital photograph, Indian Hills High School
• Whitewash, acrylic and colored pencil on paper, Kearny High School
• Abstract Self-Portrait, acrylic on canvas board, Kent Place School
• Clay Head, buff clay, Leonia High School
• Ring, brass on nickel, Livingston High School
• Empty Cave, handbuilt ceramic naked raku fired, Montville High School
• Night Fire, digital photograph on glossy photo paper, Montville High School
• Eoconfuciusornis, gouache on paper, Morristown High School
• Se Bashku dhe Vetëm – Together and Alone, digital photograph on glossy paper, New Milford High School
• Borders, white colored pencil on black paper, New Providence High School
• Spin Cycle, digital photograph, North Hunterdon High School
• iPad Cat, Micron pen and India ink on watercolor paper, North Warren Regional High School
• The Descent, gelatin silver print 35 mm film, Northern Highlands Regional High School
• Scarves, digital print, Northern Highlands Regional High School
• Models, gelatin silver print 35 mm film, Northern Highlands Regional High School
• Washed in White, watercolor on paper, Nutley High School
• Dancer, etching print on paper, Nutley High School
• Crystal Blue Persuasion, nickel oxide crystalline glazed porcelain, The Pingry School
• Malibu Bathers, oil on canvas, The Pingry High School
• Reflecting, colored pencil, collage, gel pen, acrylic paint and monoprinting on paper, Piscataway High School
• Connections, marker, pen, watercolor, color pencil and string on cardboard, Piscataway High School
• Communication, scratchboard, Piscataway High School
• Valley of the Ashes, digital photograph, Ramapo High School
• Handsome, pastel on paper, Ridge High School
• Lu Jia, charcoal on paper, Ridge High School
• Restless Anxiety, drawing pen on illustration board, Sparta High School
• KILLEEN – Portrait, photograph on inkjet print, Watchung Hills Regional High School
• Natural Beauty, pen and watercolor on watercolor paper, West Morris Mendham High School
• Explode, book, charcoal and glass, Westwood Regional Jr./Sr. High School
• Wrinkle, Ultrachrome HD ink on premium luster inkjet paper, Whippany Park High School.

An opening reception will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2019 from 2:00PM – 5:00PM in the Bickford Theatre. An awards ceremony will be held at 2:30PM. Free with Museum admission.

About the Morris Museum

Founded in 1913, the Morris Museum is an award-winning, community-based arts and cultural institution serving the public through its exhibitions in the arts, sciences and humanities. The Museum is home to the historic and internationally-significant Murtogh D. Guinness Collection of Mechanical Musical Instruments and Automata. Changing exhibits of contemporary content also explore the Guinness themes of art, sound, and motion. The adjacent Bickford Theatre is the museum's 312-seat performing-arts facility, offering unique programming, often related to the museum's exhibition themes. Continuously serving the public since 1913, the Morris Museum has a proud tradition of innovative educational programs and family events. The first museum in New Jersey to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, it has been designated a Major Arts Institution and has received the New Jersey State Council on the Arts’ Citation of Excellence, among other awards.

The Morris Museum is a Blue Star Museum, offering free Museum admission to active duty military personnel and their families, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The Morris Museum also offers free admission to military personnel all year long.

Location and Hours

The Museum is located at 6 Normandy Heights Road (at the corner of Columbia Turnpike) in Morristown, NJ, and is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday, 12:00 to 5:00pm. In addition, the Museum is open evenings from 5:00 to 8:00pm on the second and third Thursday of the month. Admission to the Museum is $10 for adults and $7 for children, students and senior citizens. Admission is always free for Museum members. For more information, call (973) 971-3700, or visit https://www.morrismuseum.org.