Michael Morris

Canadian, 1942 - 2022

Active LocationVictoria, British Columbia, Canada

BiographyCARFAC; Michael Morris was born in 1942 in Saltdean, England and immigrated to Canada at age four. In 1960, Morris began his studies at the University of Victoria, transferring the following year to the Vancouver School of Art (now known as Emily Carr University of Art + Design). After graduating from the VSA with honors in 1964, Morris attended two years of post graduate studies at the Slade School of Fine Art at the University College London, England. There he absorbed the work of Fluxus and the European avant-garde; these artistic developments abroad had a critical influence on the Vancouver experimental art scene.

Upon his return to Vancouver, Morris became acting curator of the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Centre for Communications and the Arts at Simon Fraser University. In his roles as a curator and, primarily, as an artist, Morris was a key figure of the West Coast art scene during the 1960s. During this time, he was also known by his alias Marcel Dot. In 1973, Morris co-founded the Western Front Society - one of Canada's first artist-run centres - and served as co-director of the Front for seven years. Morris has participated in artist-in-residence programs both in Canada (Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta 1990; Open Studio, Toronto, Ontario, 2003) and internationally (Berlin Kustlerprogramm, Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, Berlin, Germany, 1981-1998). His artwork is included in collections nationally and internationally. Morris was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities in 2005 by Emily Carr University of Art + Design. He currently lives and works in Victoria, British Columbia. (also, see artist file)

Person TypeIndividual