Milly Aburrow
Make Me A Sandwich Mixed Media Installation and specifically fabricate Clothing 2023Milly Aburrow is a recent graduate of Bath Spa University, completing a BA in Fine Art (Hons). Through a playful colour palette and a comical stylization, her work characterizes the parameters of commercialization, consumerist society, and particularly our contemporary food culture that defines a part of everyone's life. Depicted through mixed media sculpture (materials and techniques dependent on the subject) and installation, she explores food's social commentary, whether it associates with certain symbolization, power, memory or societal acceptance. Aburrow's work has been exhibited at Bargehouse, OXO Tower Wharf, London, and she was recently the recipient of the 'Kenneth Armitage Young Sculpture Prize 2023' for her degree show installation 'Fill Me In' Sandwich Counter.
Interview With Milly Aburrow
Hi Milly, tell us about your background. How and when did you first start to create?
I’m Milly Aburrow, a recent Fine Art graduate artist from Bath Spa University, in the UK. I’ve always been a creative person from a young age. I was born with left side Cerebral Palsy, and was always encouraged to participate in any activities to help with my dexterity and to persuade me to use my left hand more. I experienced an enjoyment in art that I have never experienced with anything else. For me creating artwork has never been something I have been scared of or unable to do – it ignited a passion of continuous joy and fulfilment.
All throughout my education, I’ve always known that I’ve wanted to pursue a career within art - so I’ve always dabbled in every artistic medium possible, although I used to favour painting. I always believed that sculpture was technically out of my physical bounds due to my disability. It was in university where I first started to created sculptures.
I knew the technical demonstrators and the universities facilities would be essential for me to trial different processes and gain the help needed for the more intensive tasks I never thought possible with my disability. For the first time, I thoroughly enjoyed the process of fabrication, as well as the finalised outcome (I would always find painting tedious and monotonous). University has allowed me to push my physical boundaries, which I never thought was possible. The assistance made me become more ambitious beyond my physical capability - this one aspect I will be ever grateful for and wish to continue.
2. What is your process like, and how do you begin?
My process isn’t at all linear! It depends on my initial idea. I work in two ways, making individual sculptures which then forms into an overall installation where themes and imagery merge together; or I focus on the installation concept, yet all the works can be separated and identified as singular sculptures.
As an example, for my sandwich counter ‘Fill Me In’ - the design for the counter itself, and concept I came up with first of all ,and then I developed the smaller details, the fillings displayed, clothing etc. Here the installation was identified first and the presentation of the entire vision was my focus, which included encompassing wallpaper as I wanted to create an immersive space and setting.
Otherwise for all my other sculptures they are derived from drawings, patterns or motifs (and the final installation of a collection of works isn’t identified until later). All my works are quite time consuming when developing my ideas into sculpture - trialing and testing different materials and assessing how the materiality effects the artwork overall (this tends to create an accumulation of pieces that don’t see the light of day, as they aren’t right for the overall installation).
With my project, ‘Tongue Tied and Sour Rainbows’ the vision of the artwork ‘Knot in my Stomach, Gummy Worm round my Neck’, was a singular concept (I had the photoshoot idea first and then created the clothing and the sour, gummy worm based on this vision) and it wasn’t until I reflected on the other sculptures I’d worked on simultaneously as this main concept; that I came to the realisation that they all interlinked through imagery and meaning.
3. Your recent work delves into the correlation between food and its language, particularly in the context of consumerism and contemporary food culture. Could you elaborate on how you approach the intersection of these themes and what drew you to explore them in your practice?
The work I fabricate focuses on the consumption of food, materialistic items and fashion that weave into our identities. My practice’s theories and research, stemmed from my consumption of food in the first year of university, where I ate prawn cocktail crisps constantly and drank strawberry Nesquik – and funnily enough it was the same time my wardrobe had evolved into an explosion of pink. I continued with this concept and started exploring how different foods and consuming certain things links to our personal identities. I’ve been drawn to links between consumption and parts of my own identity being apart of the LGBTQ+ community and having a disability - I then research connections with foods and nonnutritive aspects in a wider discourse.
In previous works, such as ‘The Gay Nutrition’, I explored and researched the intersection between Vegetarian/ Vegan food and people who identify as LGBTQ+. The theory coincides with the fact that both these communities disrupt the status quo, which automatically associates the two. In actuality, this coincidence of circumstance and values has been stereotypically linked through the vessel of food. Encouraging people to explore and reflect on their identity through the nutritional substance aids the audience in reassessing the significant value that food now plays within society in our digital age. I scrutinise whether food needs to identify with superfluous associations and the person who eats it.
4. Your playful color palette and comical stylization are prominent features of your work. How do these visual choices contribute to conveying the parameters of commercialization and consumerist society that you're addressing?
I adopted bright, saturated colours in my work influenced by advertisements and media. Whether physically and digitally - colour is used to attract attention, provoke certain emotions and can influence customers purchasing decisions.
Within our current 'new media’ age, our physical, tangible objects have been transformed and interpreted into a new perception of visualisation and language. Social media, in particular, has translated food and its surrounding language into new correlations and connections to individual identity and self-expression. Through a playful colour palette and a comical stylisation inspired by social media, I characterise the parameters of commercialisation and our consumerist society that defines a part of everyone's life.
The stylisation of my work, has developed since 2020, and was rather subconscious and coincidental. When I started university I began creating what I liked and what interested me, while before within the educational system it was quite regimented - favouring painting and the realistic style. University created this rediscovery of freedom. The personality and the aesthetic of my art I believe reflects these themes of commercialisation and consumerism, but also coincides with me as a person and who I am.
5. Your installation 'Fill Me In' Sandwich Counter was the recipient of the 'Kenneth Armitage Young Sculpture Prize 2023.' Could you describe the concept and message behind this installation, and how it embodies your exploration of societal commentary related to food?
My work 'Fill Me In' Sandwich Counter explores the freedom of choice and personal expression in the constructs of Western Society. I view the installation as having two portrayals, one by the audience (familiarly associated) and one personal to me, the artist (a unique depiction). I hope the audience will connect to my project through familiarity with the installation and the displayed faux food items. Relating to the food they would choose and how their choice is personal to their identity - contemplating how food correlates with their character, personality and circumstance. This emotional connection and identification has also been identified through the sculptural installation by me and will only be observed by myself, much as I hope the audience will identify their own personal portrayal.
Fast food has become increasingly accessible - it is available in almost every city in the UK, and the convenience of these meals has become popular in contemporary civilisation; however, despite Western society's collective love for fast food and the accessibility for the customer, food hospitality and its workforce present challenges for the disabled community. The jobs present a cycle of exclusion, where people with differing abilities and the lack of accommodation restricts this community from working within the environment. When growing up with left-side Cerebral Palsy, I was raised with a 'can do?' attitude, however now in adulthood I am more aware of my incapabilities; my difficulties with food preparation are very much present in my day-to-day life. Whereas, within childhood innocence I had reduced awareness of my disability, and through play, in particular, I loved creating pretend cafes and shops, this incapability didn't exist in my pretend universe. I treat 'Fill Me In' as such in a mock, artificial way akin to childhood, where I 'played' shops and pretended retail was my playground. The confidence in constructing a 'Fill Me In' Sandwich is similar to youth, which stems from the knowledge that the environment and food aren't real.
6.You mentioned fabricating artworks that challenge outdated stereotypes and the overarching patriarchy of Western society. How do your mixed media sculptures and installations actively contribute to breaking down these stereotypes and addressing societal structures?
Within my practice, I indicate a disdain for our stereotypical, patriarchal Western society, through humour, fun and familiarity. I want to initiate conversations surrounding my works and the possible topics they address. To create change, requires conversation. Personally I believe art creates an approachability of discussion surrounding a topic, which generates understanding of different perspective and attitudes.
The beginnings of the ‘Fill Me In’ Sandwich Counter research, started with the expression, ‘Make Me a Sandwich’. A phrase to undermine women, both in the physical and the virtual space. Even though, my installation didn’t ultimately end up with this sexist undertone (consciously referenced) - the audience can still identity this stereotypical, patriarchal notion within my work through the subject matter and dominant colour of the installation.
7. Your use of mixed media sculpture seems to vary depending on the subject. How do you select the materials and techniques for each piece, and how do these choices enhance the narrative you're conveying?
I don’t believe the material choice enhances the narrative per se, it is more reflective of the subject and the materiality of the object or food in real life. I like to match textures where possible. For instance I used silicone to create slices of cheese and polythene to imitate the translucency of shredded lettuce. Each sculpture and element I fabricate comes with lots of trial and error to perfect and find the right material to use.
8. How do you want viewers to engage with your work, and what emotions or ideas do you hope to evoke?
When creating a piece of work I rarely take into account the interpretation from the audience and their perspective – each piece I create has either a personal connection to myself or carries connotations that as an artist I am intrigued and fascinated by. If I actively thought about the interpretation of my pieces by others, I fear it might alter the process from research to fabrication and the outcome of a piece.
So, I have no expectation for the audience to connect the criticisms on the topics that are represented – I appreciate that my artwork is really obscure in that sense (that it can seem unfathomable). As previously discussed, my art practice developed from my own consumption, I am just as content with an audience’s own personal connection with my work, and if they identify and relate to the food I create, I view this as an achievement.
9. How has the city you are living and working in influenced you and the art you make?
I currently live in Bath, UK. The creative community has definitely influenced me the most and inspired me to continue to make art. There is a big support system of artists in the city, lots of galleries, artist talks and art community groups. There is always something to learn and gain when talking to others - and this aspect I’m finding really valuable. I’m currently the graduate, artist resident in 44AD Artspace, allowing me to continue creating in a studio space, and learn and gain experiences of curating my own show and participating in an artists’ talk which I am immensely grateful for and they have a great program of exhibiting artists and events!
10. Finally, what projects are you currently working on, and how are they building upon your previous work?
The next project I am embarking on and hope to accomplish includes exploring a British fan favourite - crisps. The British food writer and critic Matthew Fort claims, "Crisps are our olives". Why have sliced, fried potatoes become so embedded within our culture, whether paired with a sandwich for a classic lunch or as an archetypal pub snack? Through my stylised practice, I will explore the idea of crisps as a habit and snack, its textural qualities, and the food's translation into an art form.
