Milou Stella’s practice engages with heritage sites, objects and stories embedded in myth, memory and folklore. They often create work collaboratively, and in community settings, drawn by an interest in social issues. They are a recent associate artist at Open School East and facilitator. Their work included soft sculptures, sound, costume, audiovisual installations and it looked into biology, queer theory, new materialism and language as a way to unpack human reproductive desire, using creative methodologies as part of their research.
The recent group show We Danced Until There Was Nothing Left was curated by Maggie Matíc (Studio Voltaire) where they shared the audiovisual installation Incubator for Anothertime. They also recently led an event at Turner Contemporary (Margate) titled: Vulvas that Bite and Other Creatures in conversation with artist Flora Bradwell.
Their work has also been featured on Netil Radio, and as part of Lucy Orta Traces: Stories of Migration, Nunnery Gallery (Bow, London), and is available for sale through Felstead art Gallery (Hackney Wick). They have years of experience working within socially engaged community projects, often sharing textiles skills as part of the offering. They worked as one of the main visual artists for The Molly’s Masquerade (2020-21) in partnership with St Margaret’s House and Heads Bodies Legs Theatre (Arts Council England, Heritage Fund UK), a year long queer community and participatory project where they contributed a textile installation exploring the intersectionality of the lives of 18th century London queer pioneers. They also co-led the R&D Imagi-Nation.png exploring the radical meaning of ‘care’ through electronic music and performance with theatre maker and Japanese punk musician Kazuko Hohki and participants from the Carers Centre of Tower Hamlets, using digital technology, online events and improv music techniques to devise the future of the project.
CV
Exhibitions and Participatory Projects
The Fashioned Body - The Trampery, Fish Island, Dec 23 - Mar 24
Vulvas that Bite And Other Creatures: in Conversation with artist Flora Bradwell, Turner Contemporary, 25 jun 23
We Danced Until There Was Nothing Left, curated by Maggie Matic, 22-25 Jun 2023, Open School East
Lucy Orta Traces: Stories of Migration, Nunnery Gallery, Bow June 2023
Marking Time, Hypha Studios, 60 Conduit St, Jan 23
From Gardens We Feel Secure,Open School East Open House, Dec 22
In Vitro, Online Screening, St. Margaret's House, Apr 22
The Elusive Good Egg: Open Studio, The Create Place, Apr 22
Traces, Group Exhibition with London College Of Fashion, Nov 2021
Utopia, Eco-feminisms, Group Exhibition Oct 2021
Art 2 Art Chats, 2020
Baba Yaga Collective, 2020 - ongoing
Molly’s Masquerade, 2020 - 21
Creative Resistance Craft Klub, 2020
Embroidery Mental Health Service, 2019
Fall Out Club, 2019
East London Tapestry, 2018-2020
Embroidery Loop meet - ups, 2017 - 2022
Moody Bright Designs - 2017 - present
Witches Of Odd, 2014-15
Selected Performance Based Works
In Vitro, The Create Place, Apr 22
Baba Yaga Collective, 2020 - ongoing
Molly’s Masquerade, 2020 - 21
Fall Out Club, 2019
Embroidery Mental Health Service, 2019
Witches Of Odd, 2014-15
Selected workshops
Mendoza Mania, Red Cross, 2023
Molly's Masquerade, Spoon Dolls (online and in person), 2020-21
Apple and Snakes Festival, 2020
Hackney Services Rehab, 2019
SCT, Choices Recovery community, 2019
Embroidery for Wellbeing, St. Margaret’s house, Bethnal Green 2017 - 2021
Red Cross Fundraiser workshop series, 2018
Awards & Residences
Hopeful Disruption: Art and Social work, South London Gallery, 2024
Trellis, UCL, 2024
Under the A12, Artist Residency, Baba Yaga Collective, Jan 2024- Apr 2024
Queer Frontiers with Dr. Lizzie Reed (University of Southampton), Bristol University, 2023
Mendoza Mania, Heritage Lottery Fund Project in partnership with St. Margaret's House, 2022-2023
St. Margaret's House Artist in Residence, Jan 2022-Apr 2022
Imagi-Nation42.png , Arts Council R&D , 2021
Arts Council Project Grant, 2020
Arts Council Emergency Fund 2020
Heritage Fund Project Grant, 2020
St. Margaret’s House, Facilitator in Residence 2017- 2023
Fabrications, Facilitator in Residence 2017 - current
Training
Improv Theatre level 1, 2, 3 - Theatre Deli, 2021-22
Mental Health First Aid , 2021
Trans awareness training with Gendered Intelligence, 2020
Sex workers Rights Training with Alex Hetchart of Sex Workers Opera, 2020
Published Work
Dust online magazine, 2020
Meander (poetry Pamphlet), Annexe Press, 2014
Education
Open School East Associate Artist programme, 2022-23
MSt Creative Writing, University of Oxford, 2010-2012
BA Fine Art, Slade School of Art, UCL, 2003-2007
Contact
milou.stella@gmail.com