If anyone can give Oscar a facelift, it’s Burton Morris (A’86).
That’s the opinion of Bruce Davis, the man in charge of the Academy Awards. Davis, the executive director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, commissioned Morris to create the art for posters, trailers, invitations and building wraps for the 76th Oscar ceremonies. Morris’ work is leading an effort to “re-brand” the Oscars.
“This is a poster unlike any we’ve used before,” said Davis, a collector of Morris’ work. “It’s youthful and fun and it captures the excitement that surrounds the Academy Awards.”
Morris unveiled the official poster last November at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, site of the Academy Awards and its famous “red carpet.” The poster features a retro-looking photographer in an orange suit, red tie and orange fedora, snapping a flash photo with the Oscar statuette by his side.
A Pittsburgh native, Morris is known as the “King of Pop Art” for his bold interpretations of everyday items, such as popcorn, coffee cups, Heinz Ketchup bottles and Volkswagen “Love Bugs.”
His works have been displayed around the world, from the International Olympic Museum in Switzerland and Sotheby’s in Amsterdam to the Carter Center in Atlanta, Warner Brothers Studios in Los Angeles, Microsoft Corporation headquarters in Seattle, and Central Perk, the coffee shop made famous by the long-running NBC television series Friends. His collectors include Brad Pitt, Jennifer Anniston, John Travolta, Tim Allen and Cybil Shepherd.
If you think the Academy Awards will be a tough act to follow, think again. In July, Morris will exhibit his work at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, the most highly regarded jazz festival in the world. And this summer his creations will appear at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, as the official artist for the USA Olympic Team.
Alan Smith, Morris’ childhood friend and business manager, says billions of people will be touched by Morris’ images over the next several months.
“Just one of these events would be the pinnacle of an artist's career, but the combination is amazing,” says Smith.
Morris spent much of his childhood days drawing and reading comic books, like Dick Tracy, Batman and Superman. He attended pre-college courses at Carnegie Mellon while in high school and attended the College of Fine Arts, where as an illustration and graphic design major he learned to simplify objects, shapes and forms. He credits comic book illustrators for his inspiration and fellow alumnus Andy Warhol (A’49) for “opening the doors to the kind of art I’m doing today.” He also credits part of his success to Carnegie Mellon.
“Carnegie Mellon is a great school,” Morris said in his basement home studio. “The atmosphere was conducive to thinking and creativity. It taught you how to think and understand the thought process.” He noted professors Dan Boyarski and Herb Olds as a positive influence during his college days.
“I plan to keep exhibiting my art, keep branding my style, keep maturing as an artist and keep inspiring kids. My goal is to inspire kids to create in a positive way,” he said.
For more on Morris, visit www.burtonmorris.com.
More from the Oscars
Holly Hunter (A’80) was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Thirteen as Melanie, a single mother who turns a blind eye to the troublesome ways of her teenage daughter. This was Hunter’s fourth nomination. She won the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in The Piano (1993), was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for The Firm (1993) and for Best Actress in Broadcast News (1987).
Michael McKean (A’69) was also a 2004 Oscar nominee. He was nominated in the Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures category for the song A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow in A Mighty Wind.
In all, Carnegie Mellon alumni have earned five Academy Awards, 112 Emmys and 19 Tonys. Costume Designer Ann Roth won the Oscar for her work in The English Patient (1996) and Composer Stephen Schwartz won three Academy Awards for his work in the animated features Pocahontas (1995) and The Prince of Egypt (1998).
