Buffalo Rising Online

Dec 2nd 2005, 9:25am By Joan Fedyszyn

A Sample of Morgulis' Work

Buffalo is a very special place that includes many special people.

Printmaker, artist and photographer, Michael Morgulis, is a special person who some would included in the category of iBuffalois Living Treasures.i His story is that of an artist who, for many years, has intimately collaborated through his art with his surrounding community, benefiting both in many ways.

Michaelis current exhibit, at his Neighborhood Collective space, is a 25 year retrospect collection of work, including his designs for many of Buffalois cultural groups and city events. Itis also a delightful opportunity to wax nostalgic over these beginning works while viewing the style progression of an interesting artist.

These are wonderful images; many that Buffalo residents will immediately recognize.

Weive become accustomed to seeing this work in our day to day living. Itis not unusual to see his colorful images hanging in friendsi home or on their body, for that matter! In a way, this exhibit seems much too small and limited given how Michael, his art, and Buffalo are so lovingly entwined.

A bit of background; returning to Buffalo from a 70is sojourn to San Francisco, Michael brought back a new set of skills that were to change his life, and the lives of many others. While working with a group of talented underground artists and anti-war poster printers, he learned the process of silkscreen printing. T-shirts had really taken off on the West Coast and, upon his return to Buffalo, Michael found an eager market for his unique designs. He began incorporating the poster art that he was doing for Just Buffalo Literary Center, where he usually included one or more of his soon to become iconic ibuffalos.i The rest is history; Buffalo history!

In 1982, through a serendipitous turn, Michael had the opportunity to design 70 billboards featuring his ibuffaloi theme. These iBuffalo Billboardsi were displayed all throughout the city and psychologically benefited a battered Buffalo, while also acting as a spring board for his new venture, the opening of New Buffalo Graphics.

We need to take a moment and place these events in context. During this time, the concept of ibrandingi was still very new. What may have begun as a happy accident was really an example of Michaelis great foresight and vision. The iBillboardsi reinforced the iBuffalo brandi and seemed to galvanize those who continued to have faith and believe in a better Buffalo. One might even say it may have been the tipping point for the beginning of positive change for the city, especially along Elmwood Ave.

Along with a Just Buffalo piece, this exhibit also includes work from 16 years of designs for the Buffalo News/ Jazz at the Albright Knox posters and T-shirts , each containing the familiar ibuffaloi icon; a series of Classic Tis; one of his wonderful creations for Shakespeare in Delaware Park, that doubled as a mask of the Bard himself; a collaboration between Michael and artist-friend Duayne Hatchett , resulting in the whimsical iDuayneis Orange Peel;i and the Friendship Festival poster, celebrating friendly boarder relations between the US and Canada.

When asked to reveal those who have influenced his work over the years, Michael mentions his father who never really called himself an artist, but passed along his passion of art to his son. Another hero was legendary Graphic Designer Milton Glaser who, for 30 years, taught a summer Master Class through SVA in NYC which Michael was selected to attend at the ripe young age of 50! The piece that he submitted for entry to this program, iFamous Artistis T-Shirts,i is also included in this exhibit.

A very wonderful exhibit indeed, but I wanted MORE. If you feel the same way, you can also visit Michael Morgulis and his current work at Local Color Gallery.

Local Color Gallery 226 Lexington Ave 716.885.5188