Pop! Black

Burton Morris

48″ × 36″

Acrylic, Spray Paint, Diamond Dust, and Layered Silkscreen on Canvas

Created for Icons in Bloom, Burton Morris’ first Los Angeles solo exhibition in over fifteen years at Mash Gallery, Pop! Black from the Pop! x Bang! series reflects a pivotal shift in the artist’s contemporary pop art practice. Known internationally for bold outlines and sharply defined pop imagery, Morris has historically favored graphic precision and clean visual impact. In this new body of work, he introduces layered surfaces, tonal variation, and process-driven energy that expand Morris’ visual language.

The signature popcorn box, long embedded in Morris’ pop vocabulary, is reimagined as a vessel overflowing with roses. Inspired by a ceramic popcorn vase created by the artist’s daughter, the composition merges pop culture iconography with personal narrative. The result is both celebratory and intimate. The floral lace-like background introduces ornamental density, recalling the serial repetition of Andy Warhol, while pushing contemporary pop art painting toward greater abstraction and materiality.

By transforming a cinematic snack into a symbol of beauty and affection, Morris redefines Pop Art beyond consumer commentary. Pop! Black positions contemporary pop art within fine art discourse, emphasizing emotion, memory, and symbolic endurance.