Artist talk to accompany exhibition. Chris Miller is a painter and member of Headway East London.
Nomas* Projects, April 2021
Biography
Chris Miller is 69, and based in Hornchurch, Essex (or East London- whichever you prefer!). Over eight years ago, he had a brain operation that left him with stroke like symptoms that affected his right side – his walking, writing, and face. Before then he had been a science teacher, a youth worker and a community worker, mostly in east London. This included spell working for Frontier Youth Trust, and as a community worker for an ecumenical group of churches and the United Reformed Church and the chair of a Christian youth project. He was chair for three years of the Docklands Forum, which was the main organisation representing community groups in London Docklands during the 1980’s. After his stroke, he started to every week go to Headway East London, a charity for those with a brain injury. Art wasn’t something he did – his secondary school told him he wasn’t any good. But at Headway’s Submit to Love Studio he was gently persuaded to start expressing himself in his art.
Artist Statement
I describe myself as an outsider artist -in painting, pottery, & drawing. My work is often an exploration of the inner changes in my body resulting from becoming disabled, and a form of expression, a way of communicating with, and fitting into the wider world. I often use the visual language of the art of the past to express my condition – replacing famous images with images of my disabled body. As well I like to write short pieces on my art, short pieces about my art, and the art of others art and disability. I am currently studying for a MA in Health Humanities at University College London. I have made and reviewed art for the Autograph gallery website. Along with Headway East London, I have been part of exhibitions at the South Bank Gallery, “Could be Good” Enclave Gallery Deptford, and the Stratford Arts Centre. I have given talks on art at the Royal Academy, the Science Museum, the Wellcome Collection, the Tate Gallery and the Turner Contemporary Gallery Margate.
