Cut, tear, rip........

The curated essay "Pushing the Pink or The Impossibility of Pink-ness" is tucked in-between the pages of DESIRE and stitched closed. Therefore, in order to enter into pink-ness, one has to cut, tear, rip or carefully unpick the shocking pink thread.

DESIRE by The Laboratory Arts Collective can be purchased here.

Almost Ready for Tucking In-between......

"Spinning" at the launch of DESIRE

"Spinning" was shown last night at the launch of DESIRE by The Laboratory Arts Collective in collaboration with The Standard, West Hollywood. Other artists included Alan Selka, Kristin Ellingson, Cathy Weiss and Caroline Jones.

A film by Lisa Z. Morgan. From the Super 8 tryptich 'Spinning', 2001

Launch of DESIRE

The Laboratory Arts Collective will be celebrating the launch of their latest magazine DESIRE in collaboration with The Standard, West Hollywood, on November 12th. "Pushing the Pink or The Impossibility of Pink-ness" is included, however the opening of the essay requires a measure of desire combined with dexterity.

Rest in Beauty Mel - 3rd October 2015

STRUMPET & PINK was founded in January 2002 by artists Melanie Probert and Lisa Z Morgan; a capricious idea that began life on the back of a tube ticket........

Melanie Probert (Strumpet) 1965 - 2015

So the story began and so it continued with laughter, tears, beauty, frustrations and life's blessings and complications for over decade. But the journey, at least this stage here on earth, has now come to an end as the rare woman that was Melanie Probert, the Strumpet in the equation, died on 3rd October 2015. 

It is with sadness and disbelief that these words are written. Words, which cannot begin to convey the loss of such a unique and gifted woman. My thoughts go to her wonderful husband with whom she found the happiness and love that she both needed and deserved and to her beautiful daughter with gorgeous new life in her arms.

My Dear Mel, may your journey be filled with all of the wild flowers, beauty and wonder that you sought and please continue with your custom of wearing inappropriate garments in inappropriate places. And most importantly smile that expansive smile and laugh your very particularly dirty laugh all of the way.

Farewell Lovely xxx

The Long Beautiful Wait

In the words of The Laboratory Arts Collective "You have heard the whispers and it's true. The long beautiful wait is over." At least it is almost over. DESIRE launches on 24th October. It has been an absolute joy and pleasure to work with The Laboratory on the materialization of "Pushing the Pink or The Impossibilities of Pink-ness."
For now, you have the pinkest of teases..........

DESIRE by The Laboratory Arts Collective

Numerical Patterns of Memory on 11th

It is 2 years since my siblings and I cremated our Mother. Recently, I found these small films, taken on 11th July 2013, which I realize now was exactly 2 months prior to our saying goodbye. Mum was nearing the end of her life and yet her garden was overflowing with life and the flowers teamed with the heavy hum of pollen laden bees.

Black on Shadow Enters the Rouge (Undone)

A piece in process from The Trucking Blanket Series. The finished work can be seen here.

Black on Shadow Enters the Rouge by The Lavender Hinge. Trucking blanket,
bias binding, pin and thread

Clay Ball Contract (Temporal Marriage), 2015

Encased within the walls of the clay ball to the right is a tress of hair from one woman. Encased within the walls of the clay ball to the left is a tress of hair from one man.

Clay Ball Contract (Temporal Marriage) by Lisa Z. Morgan, 2015. Clay, hair. 1.75 x 4.5 x 1. 75 ins

Tumbleweed (as witness), 2015.

Tumbleweed is a process piece that bares witness to a relationship. Intermittently and over very many months, the silk mohair is crocheted and intertwined with human hair.  The hair from one man; head hair, facial hair, underarm hair, pubic and chest hair along with the hair from one woman; head hair, underarm and pubic hair. Initially all of the hairs, whether curly, straight, smooth, short or wiry were capriciously combined and interlaced into the mix. But as time passed and the process went on, the silk mohair would/could only tangle with the hairs of the woman.

Tumbleweed (as witness) detail, 2015 by Lisa Z. Morgan. Silk mohair,
head hair, pubic hair, chest hair, underarm hair, facial hair

Five Words for Lou.

I was asked to provide a short film containing five words for Lou. Strictly speaking this is four words + Lou.

Stepping the Steps (along a found blue line), 2015

A blue line trailed down and then up the steps of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid. It seemed natural to trace and step the steps..........

Stepping the Steps (along a found blue line), 2015 by Lisa Z. Morgan

Sharing Romance (Casablanca 'bits'), 2003

I re.discovered "Sharing Romance" recently while trawling through some old files. I believe it is still relevant in the pinkest sense.

Sharing Romance (Casablanca 'bits'), 2003 by Lisa Z. Morgan

“Sharing Romance (Casablanca 'bits)” is a visual pattern generated by the movie Casablanca as it was experienced by 1,500 people around the world on one day in 2003. The sequence demonstrates how the download of Casablanca caught and entered one part of the movie and mapped the copying that took place by accessing ‘bits’ of the film as it was shared. As each piece was copied, it became possible for others to access immediately that section of the download. Thus the behavior is likened to a swarm. In this space/place ‘ownership’ no longer exists and has neither use nor meaning.
The original film of Casablanca took 8 hours to download but this 'film' maps the first 10 minutes of the download and is then time lapsed down to a minute and a half. The fluttering/flickering pink-ness becomes far more prominent in real time.

DESIRE in June

DESIRE by The Laboratory Arts Collective will be published towards the end of June. Stills from the film "Spinning" may well be included.............

Spinning, 2001 by Lisa Z. Morgan. 16mm film

Leave Your Head on the Doorstep, 2015

The Lavender Hinge has completed a new piece in the Trucking Blanket Series.

Leave Your Head on the Doorstep by The Lavender Hinge, 2015 52 x 52 ins. Trucking blanket, cotton binding

Uncreative Practices: A Cross-Divisional RISD Symposium with Kenneth Goldsmith

Kenneth Goldsmith 84 SC – a poet and author of the influential book Uncreative Writing: Managing Language in the Digital Age (2011) – visited RISD last week to share his latest thoughts on open culture, appropriation and lack of originality as part of a cross-disciplinary symposium on Uncreative Practices. Organized by Professor of Literary Arts + Studies Mairéad Byrne, Assistant Professor of Digital + Media Shona Kitchen, D+M Lecturer Lisa Z. Morgan and Assistant Professor of Graphic Design Clement Valla MFA 09 DM, the symposium was presented as part of the RISD Museum’s ongoing series of forums augmenting the RISD Faculty Biennial.

Pink Hole, 2014

"Pink Hole" by The Lavender Hinge will be included in my essay for The Laboratory Arts Collective's next magazine, which is all about DESIRE........

Pink Hole by The Lavender Hinge, 2014. Kid mohair, 46ins x 40 ins

Doubting Thomas (a.k.a Golden Caravaggio)

Doubting Thomas (a.k.a Golden Caravaggio) by The Lavender Hinge is on view in The Faculty Biennial at the RISD Museum, Providence from 20th February until 22nd March 2015.

Study for The Seduction of Saint Thomas (after Caravaggio), 2013 by The Lavender Hinge

Painting White Snow Pink (the scene), 2015

This image is one of many that will be included in the essay 'Pushing the Pink' that I have written and curated for the Laboratory Arts Collective's biannual. The theme for this edition is DESIRE. Do I need to say more?

Painting White Snow Pink (the scene), 2015 by Lisa Z. Morgan

Poems in Pink

This beautifully pink title and image was sent to me recently. It seems the "little title just popped out the other day in a strange bookshop in Suffolk." I have since been trying to track down Poems in Pink, to uncover what is beneath/behind the cover.

Happy New Year 2015

May it be a wonderful year...........