Nathan Miller & Percy Julian High School
Project Overview
Education is an intentional act of transformation that depends on two willing and committed parties to be realized through time. Synthesis is a photo and sculpture based project examining the compound process and material of active transformation at Percy Julian High School on the far south side of Chicago. Working primarily in large-format photography, I visit Julian High School weekly to document individual students, staff and spaces alongside conducting interviews. In response to the images and conversations, I create sculptures that reflect the culture and evolution of contemporary education as demonstrated at Percy Julian. The project is in part a collaboration that will include images produced by students through photography workshops.
In honor of the chemist and researcher the school is named after, Dr. Percy L Julian, the project is titled Synthesis in reference to the branch of chemistry Dr. Julian was a pioneer in, and reflective of the compound framework of public education at CPS schools.
Meet the Artist
Nathan Miller
Portrait by Tia Mitchell
Nathan Miller is an artist and educator from the South Side of Chicago. His work in photography, sculpture, sound, and public installation is a material translation of faith within the context of the human experience, with research interests rooted in Christianity and the Black church. He has studied photography abroad at the University of The Arts London (UK) and received a BFA degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and MFA from Rhode Island School of Design. He has exhibited in Chicago, New York City, London, and Rhode Island, including at Chicago Art Department (IL), Ignition Project Space (IL), ClampArt (NY), RISD Museum (RI), and the Washington Park Arts Incubator Gallery (IL).
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Nathan Miller is an artist and educator from the South Side of Chicago. His work in photography, sculpture, sound, and public installation is a material translation of faith within the context of the human experience, with research interests rooted in Christianity and the Black church. He has studied photography abroad at the University of The Arts London (UK) and received a BFA degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and MFA from Rhode Island School of Design. He has exhibited in Chicago, New York City, London, and Rhode Island, including at Chicago Art Department (IL), Ignition Project Space (IL), ClampArt (NY), RISD Museum (RI), and the Washington Park Arts Incubator Gallery (IL).
Visit their Website
Portrait by Tia Mitchell
