Jenny Morgan’s honed blend of abstraction and realistic portraiture unlocks new paths to the personalities she paints. In a new survey of the past decade of her work, viewers can see how that sensibility evolved—and how she approaches giving the portrait treatment to celebrities, when commissioned by national publications. The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver hosts this exhibition, which runs through Aug. 27. Morgan created the cover for Hi-Fructose Vol. 39, and she was last featured on HiFructose.com here.
The museum has this to say about how the exhibition is framed: “The exhibition traces the development of Morgan’s distinctive style from traditional portraits made while she was in graduate school to recent works featuring bright, unconventional colors. It will also include the illustrative paintings of celebrity subjects that were commissioned for major American news publications, as well as more personal works for which the artist is best known. SKINDEEP emphasizes Morgan’s abilities as a formalist as much as it showcases her preternatural talent for realistic figuration.”
Morgan, a Salt Lake City native, received her MFA from New York’s School of Visual Arts. Now based in Brooklyn, her work is featured in shows across the world, including runs in London and Sweden.