Brave Soldier and Black Butterfly

Ali Miller, the exciting and insightful North London artist, is currently exhibiting a new series of photography – ‘Brave Soldier and Black Butterfly – until the 20th June, in our Menswear department.

‘Brave Soldier and Black Butterfly’ offers a powerful narrative of the artist’s experiences during her father’s cancer journey. It depicts her father’s rapid deterioration and pain, and the suffering and loss the artist went through. It also portrays a sense of hope, as the cathartic and emotionally charged pieces offer strength and optimism. The brave soldier symbolises the artist’s father and the black butterfly is a representation of the artist.

The exhibition is black and white photography taken and printed by the artist’s father, juxtaposed with her playful collage and screen printing. And it’s this juxtaposition that enables the real intrigue and beauty of the artwork. The collaboration creates a sense of intimacy between the father and daughter, an unlikely meeting place of personal experiences, family history, religion and identity and the relationship between the individual and the material.

But, it isn’t necessarily this harmony that makes the pieces insightful, it’s the contrast. Whichever way you choose to view the art, Miller’s printing and collage is clearly interposed, creating a disparity of form, inspiration and execution. This contrast voices a differentiation of generation, upbringing and influence – it is the ‘spaces in between’ that I find really interesting.  So, the places where the union of forms aren’t as much speaking to each other, as speaking over each other, suggesting words left unsaid,                                                                                      misunderstandings left unresolved, and a sense of urgency which suited neither party.

The exhibition is being held to commemorate and celebrate the life of the artist’s father, who died of cancer in April 2008, and a contribution will be given to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Rebecca Steadman, Fundraising Manager for Macmillan north London, said: “This is a fantastic exhibition which will raise funds and awareness for Macmillan Cancer Support. Our supporters are fundamental to our ambition to help all people affected by cancer and it has been a pleasure to support Ali with this project.”

You can view more of Ali Miller’s work at www.alimiller.co.uk