For our first exhibition of 2025 The Mill presented Head in the Clouds, a new exhibition by Oriana Julie developed through The Mill’s Visual Arts Studio Residency presented with support from donors Geoff Martin and Sorayya Mahmood Martin.
This Virtual Gallery includes exhibition photography and social photography from the opening night and the live stream of Oriana’s artist talk.
Photo: Daniel Marks
Informed by my childhood experience of always "having my head in the clouds" and being "off with the fairies," this body of work seeks to reframe this personal narrative into a space of sublime escape through spontaneous method-making, depicting a personal mythos. These moments of sublime escape explore the function of fantasy as an intrinsic tool for imagination, deeply connected to embodied feelings. In this realm of sublime escapism, I grant myself permission to delve into the depths of my being and emotions. The works can be viewed as an internal dialogue, manifesting in tactile forms.
The exhibition unfolds as an internal conversation, guided by personal mythos and translated into the tactile and material expression of embodied sensation. The sensory processes of the body are integrated into the art-making, forming an intrinsically connected environment through various mediums. In this space, distinctions between worlds and categories dissolve. Soft hues articulate a union between the characters and the spaces they inhabit. During these moments of sublime escape, the characters find solace in transcending societal constraints, becoming unapologetically empowered.
Photo: Daniel Marks
Social photos: Daniel Marks
This exhibition has support from
The Visual Arts Residency is presented with support from donors Geoff Martin and Sorayya Mahmood Martin