Burton Morris

Burton Morris, whose pop art was used on the set of "Friends," was also chosen to create the commemorative poster for the 76th Academy Awards. Morris uses simplified lines and rich acrylic colors to put his own spin on American pop culture items. His work has been compared to Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. "We considered asking him to do something for us last year, but the 75th anniversary seemed to demand a certain solemnity," said Bruce Davis, executive director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. "Burton Morris doesn't do solemn, so we held off and turned him loose on this year's poster." Morris first gained national attention in the mid-1990s when his artwork was chosen to hang on the set of the NBC sitcom "Friends," where it remained throughout the show's 10-year run. He was also chosen by the U.S. Olympic Committee to be an official artist for the United States team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. The poster was unveiled on Nov. 13. The Oscars was held Feb. 29 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. Burton Morris is an activist for charitable causes. Morris has donated artwork for auctions and events held by charities such as the Race for the Cure, Art for AIDS, Muscular Dystrophy, and the national Hadassah chapter for which he completed a twenty-foot thrift shop mural. Speaking of murals, a forty-foot mural for the Houston Chronicle decorates the Houston Astrodome, and a circular, one-hundred and thirty foot Morris mural adorns the Southshore Plaza in Boston.

Burton Morris is an artist whose work is filled with bold shapes and bright colors. Paintbrush in hand, the leader of the "New Pop" art movement creates images that vibrate with enormous energy and style. Walk into any room with a Burton Morris painting on the wall, and the playful spirit it exudes instantly enamors you. His "energy shards" leap off every canvas and help define the signature style for which Morris is so well known.