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Ruth Millington

@ruthmillington.bsky.social

Art writing, curating & consulting. Author of MUSE (Vintage, 2022) and This Book Will Make You An Artist (Nosy Crow, 2024).

577 Followers  |  358 Following  |  45 Posts  |  Joined: 14.11.2024  |  1.7698

Latest posts by ruthmillington.bsky.social on Bluesky

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Peter Phillips: prince of pop art The fast-living painter left Brum in search of the American Dream

For Dispatch, I wrote about Birmingham's overlooked prince of Pop art, who changed modernism alongside Hockney, Boty and Blake in London, before living his American Dream with Warhol. But he never forgot the industrial city which inspired his radical work www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/peter-philli...

10.09.2025 18:33 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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Musa - Ruth Millington

28.06.2025 05:33 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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For @theartnewspaper.bsky.social I remembered pioneering Pop artist PETER PHILLIPS (1939 - 2025) who drew on Birmingham's industrial culture to create groundbreaking, collaged paintings of car parts, comic books, flags and stars. He was witty and brilliant:

www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/07/07/r...

07.07.2025 13:04 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Shortlisted in Hobbies & Interests:
This Book Will Make You An Artist
Congratulations to @ruthmillington.bsky.social and Ellen Surrey! 🌟

03.06.2025 10:17 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Surrealism has arrived on the streets of Solihull Surreal Solihull will take place until May 31, 2025 on Solihull High Street and in a pop-up gallery inside Touchwood

For @birminghamlive.bsky.social I spoke to comedy legend Stewart Lee about Birmingham's overlooked Surrealist Emmy Bridgwater (whose house was on his paper round). I agree with him - we all need to shout a little louder about our city's culture: birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/art...

07.03.2025 15:42 β€” πŸ‘ 23    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Taking off: public art in Solihull | Art UK Discover artworks, explore venues and meet artists. Art UK is the online home for every public collection in the UK, featuring over 500,000 artworks by over 55,000 artists.

Taking off πŸ¦…

Read about Solihull's striking bird sculptures in this story by @ruthmillington.bsky.social πŸ‘‰ buff.ly/kMsr7Wi

'Beyond all Limits' by Luke Burton Β© the artist. πŸ“· Ruth Millington

07.03.2025 12:16 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Launching today: 'Surreal Solihull'

A public on-street exhibition celebrating the legacy of the Solihull Surrealists, showcasing specially-created artworks by 30 local artists

Curated by @ruthmillington.bsky.social

Photos by yours truly. On until 31st May

06.03.2025 20:38 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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Overnight, something surreal may have arrived in Solihull

05.03.2025 09:34 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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For @artukdotorg.bsky.social I wrote about Solihull's striking bird sculptures and the power of public art to transform a place. There's more on its way to the borough this week!

artuk.org/discover/sto...

04.03.2025 07:26 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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'A Dove Has Spread Her Wings and Asks for Peace' by Maria Primachenko, 1982

01.03.2025 09:00 β€” πŸ‘ 13    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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'Mothership': Stryx Gallery exhibition celebrates artist-mothers' creativity | Ruth Millington 12 artist-mothers prove that motherhood is a source of play, imagination and creativity which enhances their practice at Stryx Gallery

NEW column: For too long, women have been told to choose between children and a creative career. However, 12 artist-mothers have shattered this myth with their playful exhibition MOTHERSHIP at Birmingham's Stryx Gallery

ruthmillington.co.uk/women-artist...

28.02.2025 08:05 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Giant beetles are crawling towards the Midlands, where 'Surreal Solihull' opens in just 1 week! The FREE exhibition is accompanied by a programme of performances, children's workshops and more. Expect the unexpected...

mailchi.mp/ichoosebirmi...

27.02.2025 08:03 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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'The Late Sleeper' by Birmingham surrealist Conroy Maddox, 1973

26.02.2025 10:32 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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1 week to go! So printing in action for Surreal Solihull πŸ‘

26.02.2025 09:59 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Very true!

17.02.2025 19:32 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Bronze sculpture by Rodin’s lover found in abandoned Paris flat sells for €3.1m Figurine made by Camille Claudel depicts her β€˜descent into hell’ after separating from artist

Rule no. 1 for women artists: do not get married to a great male artist. He will eclipse you for eternity, as the title of this feature proves!

www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2...

17.02.2025 18:34 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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'Allegory of Winter' by Remedios Varo, 1948

16.02.2025 12:38 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you for sharing!

14.02.2025 16:03 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Can't wait to see MAC's spring exhibitions! The galleries will centre 2 female artists who've taken their own bodies, families, motherhood and domestic spaces as inspiration for feminist work. The 'Family Album' by Marcia Michael and Su Richardson: In Stitches - both open Fri 14 March!

14.02.2025 16:03 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Matisse’s muse: new exhibition dedicated to the illegitimate daughter he spent a lifetime painting Marguerite, who survived diphtheria and torture by the Gestapo, is the focus of MusΓ©e d’Art Moderne showcase

Long overdue, the leading role of the artist's muse is being celebrated in a spate of museum exhibitions. Delighted to see Leigh Bowery! at Tate, plus Matisse and Marguerite at MusΓ©e d’Art Moderne opening soon!

www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

09.02.2025 12:32 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Free outdoor art exhibition coming to Solihull Surreal Solihull has been inspired by pioneering local artist Emmy Bridgwater

1 month to go! Until Solihull's streets transform into something surreal...

www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/art...

06.02.2025 09:57 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
Photo of a paper note card wallet, open to show back cover, spine and front cover. The back cover depicts Anguissola's "The Chess Game"; the front cover depicts a portrait of her father with her brother, a sister and a small dog. The title and branding info are reversed in white letters out of the hot pink spine.

Photo of a paper note card wallet, open to show back cover, spine and front cover. The back cover depicts Anguissola's "The Chess Game"; the front cover depicts a portrait of her father with her brother, a sister and a small dog. The title and branding info are reversed in white letters out of the hot pink spine.

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the death of Sofonisba Anguissola. In her honor, all Art Herstory Sofonisba products are on sale at 25% off throughout 2025, on our online and Etsy stores!

Sofonisba Anguissola Note Card Wallet | 8 cards and envelopes www.etsy.com/listing/1674... via Etsy

05.02.2025 12:53 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Emmy Bridgwater, 'Night Time Phoenix', c.1945

05.02.2025 19:07 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Inside the fantastical mind of artist, director and storyteller Tim Burton @designmuseum.bsky.social

01.02.2025 16:59 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Exhibition to celebrate Solihull's link to Surrealism Surreal Solihull will include the work of Emmy Bridgwater and new work from 30 local artists.

So pleased to see this coverage of Surreal Solihull! www.bbc.com/news/article...

01.02.2025 08:35 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Happy to give you a guided tour - opens 6th March in Solihull town centre πŸ‘

30.01.2025 08:16 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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For my first column of 2025, I wrote about great British Surrealist Emmy Bridgwater and a new exhibition I'm curating in her honour. Opens 6 March in Solihull!

thecoretheatresolihull.co.uk/whats-on/all...

30.01.2025 08:04 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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β€˜Secret Lowry’: the ex-gravedigger who painted northern life, from factory to fuggy pub He repaired his car with Sellotape and kept his trousers up with rope. But Eric Tucker had a hidden life – painting drinkers, smokers and factory-workers without saccharine or sentiment. Now a book ce...

I always love speaking about Warrington's "secret Lowry" Eric Tucker, but particularly when there's a brilliant new book about his incredible art and life story soon to be published... theguardian.com/artanddesign... @canongate.co.uk

23.01.2025 14:19 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Alright, it's still Winter, but you can always look forward to Akseli Gallen-Kallela's Spring (c. 1900) from the exhibition @belvederemuseum.bsky.social in Vienna. Read about the show with its mix of landscape and Finnish myth on our blog: art-exhibitions.blogspot.com/2024/12/finl...

14.01.2025 19:28 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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King and Queen of the fairies, from The Song of Los, 1795, by William Blake.

14.01.2025 19:37 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

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