Desmond Morris was born in Purton near Swindon and was a zoologist, broadcaster and author, best known for his 1967 book The Naked Ape. He was also a lifelong surrealist painter, holding his first exhibition in Swindon in 1948 and showing with Joan Miró in London in 1950. His paintings are filled with strange organic creatures he called biomorphs. He died in 2026.
© Eric Koch for AnefoCC BY-SA 3.0 Desmond Morris
Zoologist, writer and surrealist painter
- Born
- 24 January 1928, Purton, Wiltshire
- Died
- 19 April 2026, Naas, County Kildare
Where to see their work
-
Dialogues: Continuing Conversations from Beneath the Surface, Museum & Art Swindon, Swindon
Until 27 March 2027
-
Emmy Bridgwater and Birmingham Surrealists, MAC Birmingham, Birmingham
Opens Saturday 24 October
Further reading: Wikipedia