The Graduates 2011: Jerome Caine Miller

Pre-art school, “I was praised for being enthusiastic in art lessons and then sent to detention for doodling in the rest of my subjects.” A not unfamiliar contradiction that perhaps goes some way in explaining the statements-you-can–stick–by mentality employed by Jerome Caine Miller. What’s more, when you do something with what you say, make it look impossibly good – à la “up-yours”. All this from a Brighton University Illustration graduate who, amongst other methods, hand paints signs with a heavy sentiment, strikingly composed and carried out to some seriously meticulous ends…

On the topic of communication, he says “I’m hands on! My work is very opinionated; I try and convey a message even if it only contains one word. I like to keep some form of personality attached to my work but keeping it aesthetically pleasing at the same time. My subject matter evolves around black culture, as it has been a knowledge I hadn’t been exposed to during my school days.”

If your portfolio was on fire, and you could only save one piece/project, which would you choose, and why?

The last painting I made, differentiate/ǝʇɐuıɯıɹɔssıp. It was one of the most labor-intensive projects I’ve done in a while and also one of my favourites so far!  Atleast I would still have photographs, right? Maybe after the fire settled I could rummage through the debris and see what ‘experimental’ projects remained.

If you could collaborate with another artist/designer (or a number of artists/designers) to make a piece of work, who would you work with and what would you make?

Most definitely with Emory Douglas, the artist behind the Black Panther Parties imagery. He strongly believes in the work he creates so each piece has so much conviction. All his life he has dedicated work to a greater cause, it has always been for a purpose and about something much bigger than one person’s personal views, he was a selfless artist. I’d like to get to know him and put that into some artwork.

What was your finest moment at art school?

I participated in a large scale collaborative mural that was painted over a 4-week period in Brighton. It was a public walkway so we were restricted to painting at nights, some occasions we worked till the sun rose and we ate Burger King at 4am more times than I care to remember. At the end there was a press launch, which was a great reward, and I’ve also left my stamp on Brighton for hopefully years to come.

We believe it was the Jonas brothers who once said “we’re the kids of the future.” How, if at all, do you relate to that? 

I don’t really like the Jonas brothers but I have to agree they have a point. Every new generation helps to shape the industry and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do. Hannah Montana once said, “With a new attitude everything can change”, It’s important to see things from different angles. If we can see things in a new light it will keep concepts fresh and exciting, which will hopefully help to distinguish us graduates.

Can you give us ONE prediction about you and your work for the next year?

Well I have a idea for collaborative project I would really hope to start and exhibit in the near future. It will take place at some point, be somewhere and be about something, but I don’t want to say too much too soon. Lets just say, if you see me surrounded by leather and helmets in the next year or so you will know I’ve achieved my goal.