Desmond Morris, Last British Surrealist and Zoologist, Dies at 98
Desmond Morris passed away on Sunday at the age of 98, leaving behind a significant impact in the fields of zoology, literature, and Surrealist art. Born in Wiltshire in 1928, he pursued zoology at the University of Birmingham and earned his doctorate from Oxford. From 1956, he hosted Granada's Zoo Time and contributed to BBC programs such as Life in the Animal World. His influential book, The Naked Ape, published in 1967, sold over 12 million copies. Morris authored more than 90 works and created biomorphic paintings inspired by Joan Miró and Yves Tanguy. Earlier this year, he established an Institute of Visual Arts in Ireland and was the last living Surrealist artist. He is survived by his son, Jason.
Key facts
- Desmond Morris died on Sunday aged 98
- He was a zoologist, bestselling author, and Surrealist painter
- His book The Naked Ape sold over 12 million copies
- He hosted TV programs including Zoo Time from 1956
- He painted biomorphs influenced by Miró and Tanguy
- His 1957 ICA exhibition merged zoology and fine art
- He was the last surviving artist of the Surrealist movement
- He opened the Institute of Visual Arts in Ireland this year
Entities
Artists
- Desmond Morris
- Joan Miró
- Yves Tanguy
- Picasso
- Conroy Maddox
- Emmy Bridgwater
- William Gear
- John Melville
- Jason Morris
Institutions
- University of Birmingham
- Oxford
- Granada
- BBC
- ICA
- Redfern Gallery
- Ashmolean Museum
- Tate
- National Galleries of Scotland
- Birmingham Museums
- Institute of Visual Arts
- Artlyst
Locations
- Wiltshire
- Birmingham
- United Kingdom
- London
- New York
- United States
- Ireland
Sources
- Artlyst —