“This summer, The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents The Magical City: George Morrison’s New York, opening July 17, 2025. Born in Chippewa City, a remote Native American village on the shore of Lake Superior in northern Minnesota, George Morrison (Wah-wah-ta-ga-nah-gah-boo and Gwe-ki-ge-nah-gah-boo, Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, 1919–2000) overcame innumerable challenges—poverty, a life-threatening childhood illness, social isolation, racial and cultural barriers—to become a leader of the American Abstract Expressionist movement, which he collaboratively defined both publicly and behind the scenes.” — The Metropolitan Museum of Art

 “George Morrison’s life and work has inspired generations of artists,” said Max Hollein, The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director and Chief Executive Officer. “Anchored by works from his time in New York, this meaningful exhibition celebrates Morrison’s creative achievements and explores how his American Indigenous perspective shaped his unique cultural legacy.”

Installation views of The Magical City: George Morrison’s New York, on view July 17, 2025–May 31, 2026 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photos by Paul Lachenauer, courtesy of The Met. 

Patricia Marroquin Norby (P’ urhépecha), Associate Curator of Native American Art in The Met’s American Wing, said: “This celebration of George Morrison’s work at The Met is long overdue. We are thrilled to honor the artist’s major contributions to the New York School with this exhibition and publication. Morrison strongly impacted the development of the American Abstract Expressionist movement as well as the work of his professional colleagues—artists who respected him as a leader and a voice for their generation. This exhibition offers an important opportunity to engage deeply with Morrison’s evolving practice, supported by rarely seen archival materials that reveal the depth and complexity of his artistic journey.”

The Magical City: George Morrison’s New York is curated by Patricia Marroquin Norby (P’ urhépecha), Associate Curator of Native American Art in The Met’s American Wing.    

Title image: George Morrison (Native American, Grand Portage Chippewa, 1919–2000). The Antagonist, 1956. Oil on canvas, 34 1/8 x 50 1/16 in. (86.7 x 127.2 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, Gift of Mrs. Helen Meredith Norcross © George Morrison Estate.