Creative Growth is pleased to announce that four major works by Dan Miller, an artist at Creative Growth since 1992, have been acquired by the Centre Pompidou in Paris. The donation was made possible by les amis du Centre Pompidou. Dan Miller is the first Creative Growth artist, and the second representative of “art brut,” to join this prestigious collection.
Christine Macel, chief curator of the Centre Pompidou, says, "Congratulations to Dan Miller and everyone at Creative Growth on the occasion of Centre Pompidou Musée National d'Art Moderne’s acquisition of Miller's work for our permanent collection. I was thrilled to be able to bring this fabulous work to the eye of the public as director of the Venice Biennale in 2017. I had discovered his drawings in an art fair many years ago, without knowing the context of the creation of his art, and was impressed by their powerful quality. The four works that we have chosen for the Pompidou’s collection are a testimony to various periods in his artistic evolution, from his beginnings with black-and-white line drawings to later painterly and large pieces. I hope that this recognition of Dan Miller's work will help support the energy of Creative Growth and all of their impressive achievements."
Creative Growth’s Gaëla Fernandez Florin adds, “Creative Growth has a deep connection with Paris that began 12 years ago with the opening of a gallery space there by Director of External Relations Tom di Maria. Since then, we have had the privilege of sharing Creative Growth artists with many Parisian collectors. We have long dreamed of offering a permanent gift to this city, which has so warmly welcomed our artists. In a true collaboration between our loyal collectors and Christine Macel and her fantastic team, alongside les amis du Centre Pompidou, we have made that dream a reality! The selection perfectly showcases the artist’s range with one large vertical painting, two large drawings, and a large typed work. We are forever grateful to everyone in Paris who showed their support in making the acquisition possible and in doing so have helped enrich not only their city but also the life and work of Dan Miller. This is a significant moment for Dan and all of us at Creative Growth and is a testament to our fundamental belief in the power of art.”
Dan Miller’s artwork reflects his perceptions. Letters and words are repeatedly overdrawn, often creating ink-layered masses, hovering on the page and built up to the point of obliteration or destruction of the ground. Each work contains the written recording of the artist’s obsession with such objects as light bulbs, electrical sockets, food items, and the names of cities and people. Miller works in a variety of media, including drawing, painting, ceramics, wood sculpture, printmaking, and other mixed media projects.
Miller has had solo exhibitions at galleries internationally and is regularly featured in major art fairs, including the 57th Venice Biennale (Vive Arte Viva), Art Paris, Frieze New York, The Armory Show, Outsider Art Fairs in New York and Paris, DDessin Contemporary Drawing Fair in Paris, and NADA Miami. His work is included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, SFMOMA, the American Folk Art Museum, the Berkeley Art Museum, the Mad Musée, and the Collection de l’Art Brut in Lausanne.