Mushrooms, or a Field Guide to Emotions by Morgan White

Morgan White's artwork will be on display at Main Library through the end of April.

Artist Statement
I am no longer a person. I floated far away within myself, controlling the movements of my body through muscle memory. My consciousness is in me, but diminished. I see friends and acquaintances, but I do not speak unless spoken to. My head is down; my work progresses, but I am not in it. I exist so deeply within myself that I almost do not exist at all. If a tree falls within my mind, no one will hear it. And then I wake up, flesh raging with the decay of nature taking back a body no longer in use. I have to change. My wounds bleed and I am a creature who has strayed too far from its home. I think; I go back; I look at myself. I go out where no one can hear me and I exist. I stay until my feet freeze and I cannot see the way out. I harvest the fruits of my own ruin and I continue living, trying to appreciate the nature hidden behind the human world around me.

This body of work weaves a personal narrative with mythical and scientific elements. Three large linoleum relief prints form the bulk of the story, while several smaller prints and naturalist objects enhance it. One large painting serves as a prequel to the main plot. Stress becomes the catalyst for an explosion of natural decay, which leads to self-reflection and appreciation for the beauty of nature. I want to explore how I and others my age are affected by various contemporary stressors. I am intrigued by mycology and the strange position that mushrooms hold in nature and in popular perception, neither plant nor animal, both poison and food. I am fascinated by the dual nature of the outside world, both harsh and soothing. I desire to find where I belong within that world. My prints and naturalist artifacts explore these concepts.