Pop in Bloom

Burton Morris 

72 × 48 in.

Acrylic Paint on Canvas

Pop in Bloom is a vibrant work from Burton Morris’ Pop! x Bang! Series, presented in his solo exhibition Icons in Bloom at MASH Gallery in West Hollywood. At the center of the composition, Morris’ signature popcorn box icon bursts open with a bouquet of red roses. The work fuses two recurring visual languages in Morris’ practice, the cinematic spectacle of pop culture and the timeless symbolism of the rose, into a single joyful emblem.

For decades, Morris has been recognized for his bold graphic style, defined by crisp outlines, saturated color, and imagery drawn from entertainment, sports, and popular culture. These earlier contemporary pop art works echoed the legacy of Pop Art pioneers such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, who embraced the aesthetics of advertising and comic-book graphics. In Pop in Bloom, Morris revisits that graphic clarity while expanding its meaning. The popcorn box, once a symbol of spectacle and mass culture, becomes a vessel for beauty and affection.

The Pop! x Bang! series reimagines Morris’ long-standing popcorn box icon across dozens of variations, here transformed into a container for roses. Inspired by a ceramic popcorn-shaped vase created by the artist’s young daughter and filled with flowers, the series merges pop energy with personal narrative. What begins as a playful gesture evolves into a new symbol: a fusion of imagination, love, and cultural iconography.

The bold radial composition recalls the graphic punch of mid-century American Pop Art and commercial poster design, while the rose introduces a deeper emotional register. Pop in Bloom demonstrates how Morris is reshaping the language of Pop Art. Rather than focusing solely on consumer imagery, he expands the icon into a narrative symbol that carries personal meaning, cultural history, and emotional resonance.