February 22, 2017
March 2017 Art Show: James Milner

Moments of Freedom
in the Art Lounge at City Center, 300 Page Street, San Francisco

Reception: Friday, March 3, 7:30 – 9 pm

I believe that the truest truth—the one that is only in our bodies—cannot be expressed either in words or in representation.

After realizing that my truth is obscured by the stories and imagery of my mind, I developed a process that, as far as possible, allows my body to transfer whatever is within onto the substrate. That process requires that I work on rolls of paper, at the scale of an arc of my arm, with mostly bespoke pre-prepared tools, and carefully pre-selected colors.

The common thread, at least for us human beings stuck in the mind-centric society we inhabit—is not so much the actual marks on the paper—it’s in the freedom with which the marks were made. The moments of freedom from mind.

The works are untitled for that reason: because words would be an unnecessary curtailment of this raw language; because what happened in my body doesn’t have to be what happens in yours; and because there’s truly no benefit to engaging your mind.

May your body enjoy them too.

BIO:

James has been making large-scale abstract art in San Francisco as a part of his spiritual practice since 2012.

He studied engineering at the University of Cambridge and worked for architectural engineering firm Ove Arup & Partners before taking on a range of roles both employed and entrepreneurial in the technology and entertainment spaces. Most recently he worked as a strategy consultant for McKinsey & Company, and a senior advisor for Burning Man.

James was born in Nottingham, England, in 1975, and has lived and worked for more than 5 years in each of Cambridge, London, Rome, and San Francisco. He speaks fluent Italian.