Geoffrey Owen Miller: Dreams of our Future Nature

In the Sun Porch, Geoffrey Owen Miller constructs a subtly moving tableau of flora and fauna out of clear plastic that is suspended upside down over a black mirrored surface. Peering down, visitors experience the reflections as something otherworldly and vibrant. The hanging sculptures composed of industrial materials contrast with their reflected images below, invoking a spirit world. The installation is inspired by Wave Hill’s lush landscape, capturing dynamic colors mixed with unexpected shapes.

With sunlight as a key element of Dreams of our Future Nature, Miller was drawn to the Sun Porch. His transparent sculptures are transformed through the use of filtered light that renders the colors visible in their reflections. The intense colors of light that are captured in the installation are similar to that of the sunrise and sunset in his home state of New Mexico. Growing up with a father who is a scientist influenced Miller’s drive to create through research and experimentation.

Miller considers the future of animals and plants in the context of technological and scientific advancements, as organisms continue to adapt or disappear depending on the whims of humankind. Miller is further informed by the science fiction writings of Philip K. Dick. In Dick’s dark visions of the future, people treasure all forms of animal life because of their extreme scarcity. Human authenticity is questioned, and animals become a symbol of social status. Miller explains that although “a plethora of artificial replacements exists, their utility comes along with a question of loss . . . We often don’t think about the importance of something, or someone, until they are no longer around.

This is Miller’s first solo show in New York City. Recent group exhibitions have been held at Sculptor’s Alliance on Governor’s Island, NY; K&P Gallery, New York, NY; Fully Booked, Dubai, UAE; Louisiana Tech University’s School of Design, Ruston, LA; Art Space | DA:MDAA, Seoul, Korea; The Santa Fe Art Institute, Santa Fe, NM; The Royal Society of American Artists, Brooklyn, NY; AHL Foundation, New York, NY; Gateway Project Space, Newark, NJ; and Guilin Museum of Art, Guilin, China, among others. Miller received his BFA from University of California, Long Beach, CA, and his MFA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.

Sunroom Project Space 2019

Wave Hill commissions a diverse group of emerging New York-area artists to create a new body of work or site-specific project for a solo exhibition in the Sunroom Project Space. The Sunroom provides an engaging setting for artists to contemplate, explore and ultimately transform the gallery using various materials and techniques. The seven 2019 artists represent a variety of approaches, including projects that relate to Wave Hill’s grounds, history and architecture. They engage with the community by working with participants in our public education programs, and investigate the history of horticulture and botany in unique ways.