image: Rose Leon
BIO
Christine Miller is a watercolor painter based in New York, NY.
With a background in Product Development and extensive knowledge of the manufacturing process - her work focuses on the design intentionality of historical commercial products, literature, and advertisements that have been used to dehumanize African Americans. Her art centers around racial stereotypes and histories, while simultaneously reframing cultural narratives. Pointedly exploring how anti-Black propaganda and stereotypes permeate American life, Christine sources and recontextualizes figurines, advertisements, written material, and other ephemera that overtly and covertly create and maintain anti-Blackness. Despite the deeply violent and sinister nature of these objects and visuals, she often draws from those with an “everyday” quality—once readily available tchotchkes, drugstore products, and popular magazines—that add to the material’s impact. Through her work, she confronts and challenges white supremacist definitions and illustrations of Blackness, as well as her own identity formation.
In addition to her watercolor paintings, Christine also utilizes graphics and works in publications to further her visual storytelling. She has a background in Fine Art and Geography from Hunter College along with a degree in Textile & Surface Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Christine’s work has been shown in places such as the Portland Art Museum, The New York Times, BOMB Magazine, as well as various galleries, publications, and cultural institutions. She is currently an MFA student at Columbia University with a concentration in painting.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The Black person, reduced to a Black body, reduced to a Black object, is distilled into its aura; and it is the aura of Blackness that lends material property its value - Boris Groys
Unlike my ancestors I prayed to be owned.
Metaphorically of course.
For much of my life I believed that working for a major corporation was the definition of success and would validate my worth as a person. Instead, it taught me that mainstream consumer culture exploits and consumes, and I began painting watermelons to symbolize my own consumed Black flesh and used but discarded Black skin within corporate America. My Watermelon Portrait paintings and the use of the watermelon motif serve as a social allegory which uses the watermelon fruit as a symbol to critique the commodification of Black people and culture within American capitalistic structures.
Employing satire - the watermelon motif challenges deeply ingrained historical stereotypes and the derogatory association between watermelons and Black individuals. Defying harmful oppressive narratives – the body of work pays homage to African Americans who grew and sold watermelon as means for financial advancement and self-sufficiency. Central to the Watermelon Portraits is the theme of consumption. Creating a parallel between the skin and flesh of both watermelons and humans, the paintings strive to evoke sensations of being bitten, scraped, and appropriated. The perspective of the painting immerses the viewer in dual roles – that of the consumer and the consumed – offering an examination of these interconnected experiences. Inspired by bell hooks' concept of "soul murder," the portraits are meant to convey the mental and emotional impact of systemic harm. While the work heavily comments on the commodification of African American culture - the focus on watermelon seeds symbolizes spirit and resilience, offers hope. These seeds which cannot be destroyed or consumed embody the promise of renewal and new beginnings. Ultimately Watermelon Portraits is a celebration of the beautiful enduring spirit of Black souls, joy, and life.