biomorphism

Within the context of modern art, the term was coined by the British writer Geoffrey Grigson in 1935{{cite book|last=Grigson|first=Geoffrey|title=The Arts Today|year=1935|publisher=Bodley Head|location=London|pages=71–109}} Grigson's coinage was first identified and discussed in Jennifer Mundy, Biomorphism, PhD dissertation, Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London 1986, and then in subsequent articles by the same author. and subsequently used by Alfred H. Barr in the context of his 1936 exhibition Cubism and Abstract Art.{{cite book|last=Barr|first=Alfred H.|title=Cubism and Abstract Art|year=1936|publisher=MoMA|location=New York}} Biomorphist art focuses on the power of natural life and uses organic shapes, with shapeless and vaguely spherical hints of the forms of biology. Biomorphism has connections with Surrealism and Art Nouveau.

The Tate Gallery's online glossary article on biomorphic form specifies that while these forms are abstract, they "refer to, or evoke, living forms...". The article goes on to list Joan Miró, Jean Arp, Henry Moore, and Barbara Hepworth as examples of artists whose work epitomises the use of biomorphic form.Tate Collection, [http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/b/biomorphic Glossary: Biomorphic] www.tate.org.uk, accessed in the 25 July 2008.

The paintings of Yves Tanguy and Roberto Matta are also often cited as exemplifying the use of biomorphic form.{{Cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/66152/biomorphic-art|title = Biomorphic art | Britannica}} During and after World War II, Yves Tanguy's landscapes became emptier, which has been seen as a psychological portrait of wartime Europe.[http://www.imj.org.il/Imagine/dada_surrealism/subjectSearchShow.asp?subjectId=1 Surrealism and Beyond in the Israel Museum search subject "Biomorphism"]

The use of metamorphosis through Picasso influenced Surrealism in the 1920s, and it appeared both as subject matter and as procedure in the figurative paintings of Leonora Carrington and in the more abstract, automatic works of André Masson.[http://www.imj.org.il/Imagine/dada_surrealism/Biomorphism.asp Surrealism and Beyond in the Israel Museum "Biomorphism and Metamorphosis"]

American artist Phoebe Adams is known for her biomorphic paintings and sculptures,{{Cite news |last=Karmel |first=Pepe |date=1995-02-03 |title=Art in Review: Phoebe Adams Curt Marcus Gallery 578 Broadway |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/03/arts/art-in-review-860195.html |access-date= |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news |date=1999-06-24 |title=Adams Sculptures Blur Lines Between Mass, Space |pages=50 |work=Albuquerque Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/albuquerque-journal-adams-sculptures-blu/126143117/ |access-date= |issn=1526-5137}} which are in many museum collections. Desmond Morris, author of "The Naked Ape: A Zoologist's Study of the Human Animal", is a biomorphic painter whose works are in museum collections, including the National Portrait Gallery in London.{{Cite web|url=https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp69772/desmond-john-morris|title=Desmond Morris - National Portrait Gallery|website=www.npg.org.uk|language=en|access-date=2020-04-26}}

American artists Andrew Topolski, Michael Zansky, Suzanne Anker, Frank Gillette, Michael Rees, and Bradley Rubenstein participated in exhibitions featuring biomorphic and biospheric paintings and digital art at Universal Concepts Unlimited (2000–2006). Michael Zansky's series, "Giants and Dwarves," spanned 5,000 square feet of carved, burned, and painted wooden panels with biomorphic forms.{{Cite web|url=https://www.manacontemporary.com/exhibition/exhibitions-2013-michael-zanksy/|title=Michael Zansky: Giants & Dwarfs|website=Mana Contemporary|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-26}}{{Cite book|title=Mccoy, Ann|date=2011-10-31|publisher=Oxford University Press|series=Benezit Dictionary of Artists|doi=10.1093/benz/9780199773787.article.b00113250}}

File:TWA Flight Center 2015.7.JPG

The Sagrada Família church by Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona contains many features inspired by nature, such as branching columns intended to reflect trees.{{cite book |last=Zerbst |first=Rainer |others=Trans. from German by Doris Jones and Jeremy Gaines |title=Antoni Gaudi – A Life Devoted to Architecture |year=1988 |publisher=Taschen |location=Hamburg, Germany |isbn=3-8228-0074-0 |page=[https://archive.org/details/gaudi18521926ant00zerb/page/30 30] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/gaudi18521926ant00zerb/page/30 }}

Other well known examples of biomorphism in architecture can be found in the Lotus Temple in New Delhi, by Fariborz Sahba, based on a lotus flower,{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia= Encyclopædia Iranica |year= 1989 |article=Bahai temples | first = V. | last = Rafati |author2=Sahba, F. }} and the TWA Flight Center building in New York City, by Eero Saarinen, inspired by the form of a bird’s wing.

{{cite news

| url = https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/20/nyregion/twa-s-hub-is-declared-a-landmark.html?scp=8&sq=%22twa%20flight%20center%22&st=cse

| work = New York Times

| title = T.W.A's Hub is Declared a Landmark

| date = July 1994

| author = David W. Dunlap

}}

One of the leading contemporary architects that uses biomorphism in his work is Basil Al Bayati, a leading proponent of the school of Metaphoric architecture whose designs have been inspired by trees and plants, snails, whales and insects such as the Palm Mosque at the King Saud University in Riyadh, or the Al-Nakhlah Palm Telecommunications Tower, which are based upon the form of a palm tree,

{{cite news

| last = Fehervari

| first = Geza

| publisher = Ahlan Wasahlan magazine

| title = Revival in Islamic Architecture

| date = September 1983

| edition = Vol. 7, no 6

| pages = 15–17

}} or the Oriental Village by the Sea, in the Dominican Republic that is based upon the segmented body of a dragonfly.

File:Benjamin G Bowden - Spacelander Bicycle.jpg]]

Biomorphism is also seen in modern industrial design, such as the work of Alvar Aalto,Martin Eidelberg, et al. Design 1935–1965: what modern was: selections from the Liliane and David M. Stewart Collection, Montreal: Musée des arts décoratifs de Montréal, New York: H.N. Abrams, 1991, Page 90. and Isamu Noguchi, whose Noguchi table is considered an icon of industrial design.* {{cite book | last = Pina | first = Leslie | authorlink = Leslie Pina | title = Classic Herman Miller | publisher = Schiffer Publishing | year = 1998 | location = Atglen, Pennsylvania | isbn = 0-7643-0471-2}} Presently, the effect of the influence of nature is less obvious: instead of designed objects looking exactly like the natural form, they use only slight characteristics to remind us of nature.

Victor Papanek (1923–1999) was one of the first American industrial designers to use biomorphic analysis in his design assignments. He reached international prominence while at Purdue University 1964–1970. Student work and his work is illustrated in his book Design for the Real World, published in 1970, which challenges the industrial design establishment to design for the handicapped and disadvantaged throughout the world. First published in 1970 by Bonnier in Swedish, it was published in English in 1971 by Pantheon and eventually translated and published in 23 languages. It is perhaps the most widely read book on design.

Gaetano Pesce is an Italian designer who creates brightly colored acrylic furniture in biomorphic and human shapes.{{Cite web|url=https://www.galeriemagazine.com/how-designer-gaetano-pesce-makes-his-fantastical-creations/|title=How Designer Gaetano Pesce Makes His Fantastical Creations|date=2020-04-21|website=Galerie|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-26}}{{Cite web|url=https://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/08/by-design-the-legendary-gaetano-pesce-on-work-and-life/|title=The Legendary Gaetano Pesce on Work and Life|last=Perry|first=Amy|date=2013-05-08|website=T Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-26}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dezeen.com/2019/11/11/gaetan-pesce-furniture-new-york-exhibition/|title=New York exhibition displays rarely seen furniture by Italian architect Gaetano Pesce|date=2019-11-11|website=Dezeen|language=en|access-date=2020-04-26}}

Marc Newson is an Australian biomorphic designer who created a Charlotte chair (1987) and three-legged carbon-fibre Black Hole table (1988).{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Newson|title=Marc Newson {{!}} Australian designer|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|access-date=2020-04-26}}{{Cite web|url=http://discoveringdesigners.weebly.com/about-marc-newson.html|title=About Marc Newson|website=Discovering Designers|access-date=2020-04-26}}

• Biomimetic architecture
• Metaphoric architecture
• Organic architecture
• Zoomorphic architecture
• Zoomorphism

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book|title=Design of the 20th Century|first1=Charlotte|last1=Fiell|first2=Peter|last2=Fiell|publisher=Taschen|location=Köln|edition=25th anniversary|year=2005|pages=118–119|isbn=9783822840788|oclc=809539744}}

• [https://exchange.umma.umich.edu/advanced_search/query?type=3&title=&keywords=&min_rating=0&max_rating=5&style=Biomorphic+Abstraction&collection_area=+&medium=&support=&classification=+&artist=&artist_nationality=+&credit_line=&collection_identifier=&date_created=&location=+&author_lookup=&author_id=0 "Biomorphic Abstraction" works at the University of Michigan Museum of Art]
• [https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/b/biomorphic Biomorphic art at the Tate Gallery]
• [https://www.moma.org/collection/terms/139 Biomorphic art at the Museum of Modern Art]

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Category:Modern art

Category:Surrealism

Category:1930s neologisms