Leon Morrocco b. 1942

"Leon Morrocco’s art is concrete... His lucid and powerful drawings are a delight. Their discipline brings a sense of order to his painting that allows him to work successfully on a really grand scale".

The Scotsman
Leon Morrocco RSA was born in Edinburgh in 1942. In 1959 Leon enrolled at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee, before continuing to the Slade School of Art, London (1960-61), and Edinburgh College of Art (1961-65). After art school, he was awarded the Andrew Grant Scholarship and an Italian Government Scholarship to the Accademia di Brera, Milan. Allowing him to travel around Greece, Turkey and Italy, these awards catalysed the itinerant lifestyle that would define his career.

Elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy at the unusually young age of 29, Leon was Lecturer in Drawing and Painting at Edinburgh College of Art from 1965 to 1968 before taking up a similar position at Glasgow School of Art from 1969 to 1979. Driven by a desire for travel and adventure, in 1979 he left Scotland to become the Head of Fine Art at the Chisholm Institute, Melbourne. Leon and his family would live in Australia for 12 years. In 1984 he left academia and focused solely on his own practice. Following several successful exhibitions in Melbourne and Sydney, in 1992 he returned to the UK, living in London and embarking on a series of solo shows with the John Martin Gallery that have continued for over twenty five years. In 1998 they published the first monograph on his life and work, Leon Morrocco: Journeys and Observations, with a second book published in 2017 ‘A Painter’s Journey’ with introduction by the poet Liz Lochhead. A major exhibition of his work was held at the Royal Scottish Academy in August 2022

His work is held in notable public and private collections, including The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, The Scottish Arts Council, Leeds City Art Gallery, The Nuffield Foundation and Queensland Art Gallery
Available Work Enquiry
Exhibitions
Videos
- Paintings & Drawings of the Alpes-Maritimes
  Leon Morrocco June 10, 2022
  Artist Leon Morrocco in his studio discussing his work ahead of his exhibition Paintings & Drawings of the Alpes-Maritimes at the John Martin Gallery.
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- Drawing the River with Leon Morrocco
  Leon Morrocco March 11, 2022
  
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Biography
Leon Morrocco in his studio
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Solo Exhibitions

2023 Painting & Works on Paper, Spirit Studios,Suffolk

2022 Paintings from Alpes - Maritimes, John Martin Gallery, London

2022 Further Shores: Paintings & Drawings since 1967

2022 Long Road Home, Royal Scottish Academy

2020 Looking Out to Sea, John Martin Gallery & Portland Gallery, London

2019 Unseen India, Jaipur, Jodphur and Kolkata, John Martin Gallery, London
2017 A Painter’s Journey, John Martin Gallery, London
2016 What the River Knew, John Martin Gallery, London
2014 Recollection, Edinburgh Festival, Edinburgh
2014 Drawing the River Part 2, John Martin Gallery Chelsea, London
2013 The London River, John Martin Gallery, London
2012 Paintings & Works on paper, Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
2011 Paintings from India, Edward Cutler Gallery, Milan
2010 Kolkata, Chennai, Goa, John Martin Gallery, London
2009 From Mumbai to Madurai, John Martin Gallery, London
2009 Strade di Roma, Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
2007 Morrocco’s Morocco at Art London, John Martin Gallery, London
2007 The Sketchbooks & Paintings of Leon Morrocco – Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
2006 Havana, John Martin Gallery, London
2005 The Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
2003 Roman Paintings, John Martin of London & John Martin Chelsea
2000 Leon Morrocco, John Martin Gallery, London
1999 Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
1998 Roger Billcliffe Fine Art, Glasgow
1998 John Martin Gallery, London
1997 Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
1996 John Martin Gallery, London
1995 Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
1994 Loomshop Gallery, Fife
1994 Roger Billcliffe Fine Art, Glasgow
1993 Portland Gallery, London
1993 Roger Billcliffe Fine Art, Glasgow
1993 Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
1992 Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1991 Portland Gallery, London
1989 Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1986 Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1986 Bonython-Meadmore Gallery, Sydney
1984 Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1982 Stuart Gertsman Galleries, Melbourne
1979 Glasgow School of Art
1978 Stirling Gallery, Greenock Arts Centre
1078 University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
1976 University of St. Andrews
1975 The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
1973 The Loomshop Gallery, Edinburgh
1971 The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
1965 Douglas & Foulis Gallery, Edinburgh
1965 French Institute Gallery, Edinburgh
1965 Traverse Theatre Gallery, Edinburgh

Public Collections
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
Scottish Arts Council
Leeds City Art Gallery
Lillie Art Gallery
The Nuffield Foundation
Australian Government Collection
Queensland Art Gallery

Publications

Leon Morrocco: A Painter's Journey, 2018
Leon Morrocco: Journeys and Observations, London: 1998 (ISBN 1 902761 006)
Publications
- A Painter's Journey
  Leon Morrocco Liz Lochead & John Martin Gallery, 2017
  Hard Back with Case , 175 pages
  Publisher: Unicorn & John Martin Gallery
  ISBN: 978-0-9932195-8-0
  Dimensions: 27.5 x 23 x 2.5 cms
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