Judy Millar
I want a tension between the pictorial surface and the space it occupies.
Judy Millar (1953, New Zealand) is known for her energetic, large-scale paintings that explore the relationship between body, gesture, and space. She challenges traditional painting by focusing on subtracting paint, often removing it with rags or squeegees to create bold, sweeping marks across the canvas.
Millar’s process is intensely physical; she works on the floor using her whole body. Though her gestures appear expressive, she views painting as rooted in observation and drawing rather than personal emotion. Beyond the canvas, Millar is interested in extending painting into three-dimensional space. She translates her imagery into large printed forms that interact with architecture and shift with the viewer’s perspective, inviting movement and creating a layered experience that blurs the line between painting and environment.
