Friends dir. by Marta Kauffman and David Crane (1994-2004), promotional poster. TMDB.
Who doesn’t love Friends? Without a doubt, it is one of the most watched and most loved TV series in history. We all know about this group of best buds and their hangout spot, Central Perk. Huge coffee mugs, a variety of sweets, and decorations that remind us of granny’s house. It has something intimate and cozy, right? But, have you ever noticed the gallery wall behind the famous orange couch that keeps changing throughout the seasons? Let’s see the art in Friends.
If you observe the background of Central Perk, you will see that besides the artworks and their constant change each season (sometimes twice during each season), there is also a pattern. They are all Pop; some of them look like they are Andy Warhol’s or Roy Lichtenstein’s creations, and some seem like replicas or recreations of other famous paintings.
Burton Morris is the artist whose works appear the most throughout the 10 seasons. The first contact between the artist and the producers happened when David Schwimmer (aka Ross) wore a t-shirt with one of Morris’ designs on the setting.
The producers contacted Morris and so began their creative collaboration. Depictions of a steaming coffee cup, the Statue of Liberty, and other images that refer to American culture exist on the gallery wall of Central Perk throughout the course of the show.
Still from Friends dir. by Marta Kauffman and David Crane (1994-2004), Burton Morris, Uncle Sam, Season 8. Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Burton Morris was born in 1964 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He holds a degree in Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University. He has created the artworks for the United States Olympic Team, the 38th Montreaux Jass Festival, the 2010 FIFA World Cup, etc. Also, he has completed commissions for Chanel, Perrier, Absolute Vodka, Rolex, Kellogg’s, Ford, Coca-Cola, and other big enterprises.
For the 25th anniversary of the show, Burton Morris, in collaboration with Warner Bros Inc. held an exhibition with all of his famous pieces that appeared on the show and several new ones, inspired by the occasion. The exhibition took place from September 19 to October 16, 2019, in New York.
Of course, Burton Morris wasn’t the only artist to decorate the Central Perk wall. There are other pieces too but it is difficult to find the original artist. It could be a commission or a simple decorative accessory for the background. In any case, here are some of those.
You can certainly spot even more artworks if you look carefully enough. So grab your cup of coffee and enjoy the show.
DailyArt Magazine needs your support. Every contribution, however big or small, is very valuable for our future. Thanks to it, we will be able to sustain and grow the Magazine. Thank you for your help!
Errika has a master's degree in Modern and Contemporary History and dreams of becoming a curator. She writes articles about modern and contemporary art, fashion, and cinema. In her free time, she sculpts and paints miniatures and reads books.
During WWII the American team Emergency Rescue Committee (ERC) led by Varian Fry rescued more than 2,000 people from the Nazi regime between 1940 and...
Jimena Escoto, 18 May 2023
In season three of Netflix’s Emily in Paris, the cast travels around Paris, France, and visits many famous museums, monuments, and sites. While...
Anna Ingram 17 March 2023
Season two of The White Lotus on HBO Max has gained much press recently about its filming location in Sicily, Italy. Through interviews with the cast...
Anna Ingram 27 September 2023
Starz’s new show, The Serpent Queen, tells the story of Catherine de Medici’s life and reign in 16th-century France. In the first season,...
Anna Ingram 24 November 2022
