Morgan Sorne   Sons of the Star, July 2008 
acrylic, wood, resin   48 x 23 x 6 inches, each
at Women & Their Work

Texas Biennial 2009-Dallas Art Review

Story & Photographs by J R Compton

The ritual magic and dense color of Austin artist Morgan Sorne's mostly two-dimensional diorama thrills me to the core of my magical thinking. I know the figures and the ground are essentially flat, but I let the tones and shadows on these wood cut-outs fool me.

I see the indigo tribe praying, readying sacrifice (The partially obscured figure in the second row is rendering a blood-splattered rabbit.), and preparing for war in full regalia with a space-dark cosmic convergence draped behind.

Morgan Sorne   Sons of the Star, July 2008

The backs of the figures are scrawled with stories, poetry maybe and symbols, colorful, intense but much more hurried or informally than the fronts. Every time I tried to read one, I didn't. The reward less than the mystery — form more intense than meaning.

From Morgan’s website (listed on the postcard) I learned each figure has a name, identity, history, position in the society and place in its cosmology.

The real magic's not in knowing, but in believing.