Natalia Millman
Natalia Millman is a conceptual multi-disciplinary artist. Originally from Ukraine, she moved to London in 2001 and has been a part of Insight school of Art since 2013. In 2019 she joined Studio Fridays https://studiofridays.com/, a mentoring platform for emerging artist where she continues to research the philosophy of ageing, human-nature connection, the role of memories in identity and the energy of resilient grieving. She works with different media including sculpture, painting, video, installation and photography. Her symbolic objects remind us of fragility of life, passing physicality, our symbiotic relationship with nature, the beauty of ageing, the value of the present moment and reflection. She takes inspiration from her personal journey of loss, stories of others and the scientific research into dementia aiming to raise awareness and promote art as the creative solution to embrace the cognitive changes. Her work incorporates materials sourced on building sites, found objects, organic and non-organic items. The artist manipulates their function to give them a new meaning and focuses on the mending process as the pivotal healing exercise.
Millman is the Ambassador of Arts4Dementia, a leading UK charity promoting creativity. The artist held a month-long residency in St Albans Museum Gallery in Summer 2021 sharing pieces from her new body of work. In July 2021 she successfully exhibited her latest work at the Affordable Art Fair representing Arts4Dementia of which she is a proud Ambassador. In October 2021, the artist held her solo show VANISHING POINT in the Crypt Gallery, London. The exhibition grew out of personal experience of loss and explored ageing mind, body and the stigma of dementia. Millman launched Grief Letter, an ongoing community project promoting grief support and the site specific project #thenatureofmemories. Since the show, she regularly exhibits at group shows and virtual exhibitions and runs creative workshops for people with dementia. She continues to submit interviews and blog posts to creative and wellbeing organisations.
