Millie Chen (b. 1962)

Internationally acclaimed artist Millie Chen, who works across a range of media, commented on print:

This constitutes the first work-on-paper iteration of Exquisite excerpt #4, which originally manifested as direct ink drawings on walls, executed in three different installation contexts: Rodman Hall Arts Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario, 2011; Anderson Gallery, Buffalo, 2011; Anna Kaplan Contemporary (formerly BT&C Gallery), Buffalo, 2015. This limited edition 22” x 30” digital print on BFK Rives Arches paper is based on high-resolution photography of the 6’ high wall drawing at BT&C Gallery.

I am drawn to human hair as imagery that has the power to elicit dread. When hair is displaced from its predictable place, the territory of the body, it can unnerve. After death of the body, hair can last for centuries without decomposing. I empower it with the role of harbinger, with the potential to portend disaster. Hair is manifested in my work as a monstrosity of unrest, the irrational, and deliberate loss of control.

 Reactions exhibition labels for adults and youths:

Displaced from the body, disembodied hair can be unnerving. It can elicit dread and a visceral sensation of wildness—a freedom from restraint.

About this work, Millie Chen stated: “I embody it with the role of harbinger, with the potential to portend disaster. Hair is manifested in my work as a monstrosity of unrest, the irrational, and deliberate loss of control.”

However, to others, hair can be a luxurious symbol of health, romance, or even self-expression. How did this piece reach you? Do you find it exquisite or eerie?

Hey Kids:

Do you have hair on your head? How long is it? Go ahead and run your hands through it. Think about its texture, how it grows from your scalp, what it feels like. Did you know that hair can stay as it is for hundreds of years after it falls from your head? It won’t break down or decompose or fade away. Is this thought surprising?

Labels by Shayna Diamond, 2021