Special to The T&D

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- "The Art of John Dos Passos," featuring 64 vibrant watercolors and six pieces of book jacket art by one of the great American writers of the 20th century, will be on view through Sunday, Nov. 25, at the Morris Museum of Art.

Over a period of 50 years, John Dos Passos (1896-1970) wrote 42 literary works and created more than 400 works of art, providing a panoramic social history of the world he knew. The artworks presented in "The Art of John Dos Passos" chronicles his extensive travels as well as his dedication to creative and individual freedom.

"[John] Dos Passos is known primarily as a great novelist, and as a contemporary of Hemingway and Fitzgerald," said Jay Williams, curator of the Morris Museum of Art. "His visual art shows us another aspect of his open and inquiring mind. In paintings, such as Figuig 27 and his nude figures, he incorporates a number of ideas from such contemporary European artists as Matisse and Picasso. For example, he distorts perspective and flattens space; and he creates dynamic compositions using brightly colored organic and geometric shapes.

"This was all a part of questioning tradition and experimenting with new ways of communicating perceptions and feelings."

The Art of John Dos Passos was organized by International Arts & Artists Inc. in cooperation with Lucy Dos Passos Coggin, John Dos Passos's daughter. The presentation of the exhibition at the Morris Museum of Art is sponsored in part by SunTrust Bank, Augusta.

Founded in 1985, the Morris Museum of Art is the oldest and largest museum in the country that is devoted to the art and artists of the American South. It is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. For more information, call 706-724-7501 or visit www.themorris.org.

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