Syrup on Watermelon
March 2022
Syrup on Watermelon is Christine Miller’s new exhibition in the AUX/MUTE Gallery. It contains two bodies of work that address and reframe specific narratives of American culture created upon African American people—the stereotypes and its commercialization exploiting Black people and culture using the images of the watermelon and Aunt Jemima as markers. Miller’s installation uses these objects as a vehicle to address this digestion and consumption with an emphasis on Black women.
Read: Bomb Magazine Love, Power, and Visibility: Christine Miller Interviewed by Amelia Rina
MULTIPLY
November 2021
Christine Miller introduces “MULTIPLY” a material design story using the Pan African Flag and its representation of black nationalism and the advocacy of union of all the people across the diaspora. Presented as a collection of three flags representing themes: Durable, Sturdy and Functional, these flags are fueled by personal stories, design intentionality and Black Love. Black Love is Black Power and Black Power is an armor against White Supremacy. Christine pulls inspiration from the book “All About Love” by Bell Hooks as well as the phrase “We don’t die, we multiply”. Christine reflects on the choice and action to love; the willingness to nurture oneself or someone else’s spiritual well-being.
“In a country and world that has shown such hatred toward black people with the prominent presence of white supremacy reinforcing that hatred – I believe black people multiplying in love and nurturing themselves along with making a deliberate choice to love each other is the ultimate power.”
Christine’s exhibit uses imagery and language of overt racism with a subtlety that comments on covert racism. Varying visuals show the layered definitions of the word MULTIPLY and dichotomy between the two notions of power: Ownership vs Domination.
Black Power is a Color
July 2020
Blackfish Gallery is proud to present the July 2020 Exhibition “Black Power is a Color.” Protest signs are graphic design. They have a message, font, hierarchy, medium, color etc. The Black Power Movement was full of graphic designs of art, power, and revolution. This show is a collaboration of three Portland-based artists: Danielle McCoy (Graphic Designer, Wieden + Kennedy*), Kareem Blair (Senior Designer, Nike*), and Christine Miller (Graphic Product Developer, Nike*). Their work takes inspiration from graphic artist Emory Douglass and painter Raymond Saunders.
See featured in the New York Times Article: Black Artists Find Ways to Make Their Voices Heard in Portland
American Hex
February 2020
American Hex a two-person show featuring new work by Christine Miller and Brittany Vega which opened Saturday February 01, 2020.
Miller and Vega’s varied practices center on the artist as collector, and use their personal archives to shed light on the ills of contemporary American culture. American Hex points to the problematic and charged symbolism an object can hold. Vega, using her own collection of flags, highlights the complications of patriotism and demonstrates the confusion, frustration, and hate that exists in our current political system. Miller’s personal collection of Jim Crow-era memorabilia is a reminder of the racism that continues to plague our country like a curse.
Read Bomb Magazine review: Christine Miller and Brittany Vega: American Hex
In collaboration with Fuller Rosen, Miller has created a deeply personal artist publication titled My Black is the Color of the Sun which digs deeper into the effects of racist stereotypes on individual black identity.
Brown Sugar Where We At
August 2019
Ten black women visual artist launched a debut gallery show, Brown Sugar: Where We At, on August 30th, 2019 at Tips on Failing in NE Portland which featured the work of ten black female artists who work with a variety of different creative mediums.. The name of the show pays homage to the nostalgic connection between brown sugar and black womanhood. Frustrated by facing barriers showing her work and failing to see black female artist exhibiting in art shows she attend in Portland, Christine Miller curated and shows her own work in Brown Sugar to act as a space reserved for these artists to both express their work and celebrate themselves.
Read Interview with Cervante’ Pope: “Brown Sugar: Where We At” art show depicts Black Culture