100 Strangers : Round 5 : No. 429 : Millie

I visited the Nottingham Contemporary Art Gallery on Wednesday , it’s an independent galley in the heart of the city centre. I walked into the Paul Mpagi Sepuya exhibition. As I walked into the room I was greeted by Millie, one of the Gallery Assistants. Millie offered me an information sheet on Paul’s work. I thanked Mille for the offer but I had one from a previous visit.

I than had a chat with Mille about the exhibition, which contained some massive photos and in total over forty intimate studio portraits that explore the relationship between camera, subject and viewer. I told Millie I was an amateur photography and loved to photograph people I meet when out and about.

Millie knows a bit about photography, but prefers art as a creative tool. Mille takes old photos and scratches them to create patterns and abstract art of the colours revealed. Millie showed me some of the scratched photo art on Instagram and ‘followed me’ at the same time and I ‘followed back’. The art was created from colour photo prints, some from old photographs , some from friends and some found in charity shops.

Millie is a Trans Woman. I asked Millie if Nottingham was a good city for Trans Women. Mollie said it’s a good city with a vibrant LGBTQ+ community. I told Millie I’d photographed some Trans Women as part of my “strangers” project and scrolled through my photos to find them. I showed Millie, stranger 300, Steph, Millie thought it was a fabulous photo and thought she recognised Steph. Steph was wearing a wig and Millie told me many Trans women when they first come out wear wigs for confidence.

Millie admired many of my photos on Insta and said I should have an exhibition or be featured in “Left Lion” (an arts and culture magazine for Nottingham and Notts). I said that was very kind.

I asked Millie to be part of my strangers project and Millie suggested standing in front of one of Paul’s big photos, as it was Millie’s fave photo of the exhibition.

I thanked Mille for the photos and chat and we shook hands / bumped fists.

[Brigette]

great story phil and likewise photograph of millie

[Renee Salamon]

You’ve caught a wry smile on Millie - I love how everyone tells you their story, you have a special gift

[Phil Howcroft]

@rensala awww thank you so much renee , that's such a lovely comment

@brigette thanks brigette for those lovely words

[Corinne C]

A great story and a nice portrait of Millie. Millie seems a little reserved on the photo.

[Judith Johnson]

What a very interesting story. I agree with Renee, you do have a special gift!

[Phil Howcroft]

@corinnec merci Corinne , your support and kind words are always appreciated

@busylady thanks Judith , that is a lovely comment , all I do is chat, listen and take a few photos

[Zilli~]

Great story and photo. You captured Millie’s personality. Never heard of the art form Millie engages in.

[Mags]

Another fab stranger portrait and story!

[Kerry McCarthy]

Another interesting meeting and story. Nice shot!

[bkb in the city]

Great portrait as usual and thanks for sharing her story

[Kathy A]

Fabulous portrait and story

[Christina]

I love how you've made this a front on portrait. It makes it look like she means business!

[Beryl Lloyd]

Great story and portrait !

[Dione Giorgio]

Lovely portrait. And a very interesting story.

[william wooderson]

I love the inclusivity of your portrait photography! You meet people from so many different backgrounds. I can imagine you get great satisfaction out of doing your Strangers series. (Fav)

[FBailey]

Intrigued by the scratched photos!

[Alison Hewitt Bailey]

I'm intrigued by Millie's smile; I wonder what she's thinking? Fab portrait as always and an interesting commentary - also as always!
Interesting that the word 'contemporary' is in mirror writing on Millie's ID tag - a nod to the modern art the gallery exhibits, perhaps?