Milou Stella’s practice is embodied knowledge, manifesting as a process that takes many shapes. Fascinated by the image and reality of the cyborg both as a Dada and Harawayan’s concept, and borrowing from technological and transecological realms, they are deeply invested in exploring interdisciplinary creative methodologies to craft soft sculptures, installations, texts, and costumes.
Their work aims to trouble conventional notions of well-being, kinship, and production by weaving together lived experiences with insights from biomedical, social, and psychological research.
So far, they have engaged with heritage sites, objects, and narratives, utilising technology, including audiovisual mediums to envision futures as intricate assemblages brought to life by contaminations from alternative crip/queer temporalities and politics.
These multimodal experiments often emerge from collaborative efforts that have included workshops, games and curated conversations to respond to heritage and cultural narratives in ways that question the roots behind these discourses.
They are a recent Open School East associate artist, a current Trellis Fund (UCL) awardee, and a Slade School of Art graduate and have many years of experience facilitating projects, workshops and presentations on Arts Council England, and Heritage Project Uk funded projects.
CV
Exhibitions and Participatory Projects
The Fashioned Body - The Trampery, Fish Island, Dec 23 - Mar 24
Designed For Life, London College of Fashion, Stratford, Oct-Jan 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
The Frog Man, Vomiton Performance, May 24
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
What Is Queering the Family? workshop in collaboration with Dr. lizzie Reed (University of Southamton), OSE, 23
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 Embroidery 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
Poetry On The Underground, 2006
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