Introducing // Andrew J Millar

It’s always amazing to find someone who is passionate about all things analogue!!

Here at Print Club London, we are no strangers to that passion.

Andrew Millar lives in Whitechapel, East London and (until now) only produced work using vintage Polaroid SX-70 cameras whilst exploring manual manipulation techniques using analog instant film.

Andrew uses instant film to achieve effects by manipulating the emulsion during the developing process, separating the image emulsion from the film base, double exposing the film, overlaying the transparencies or by varying the temperature and the developing time.

This technique enhances the surreal, dreamlike mood of the image and inspires us to question what is real.

The basis of Andrew’s work for Print Club originates from this same method. The manipulated polaroid is transformed into hand finished, gold leafed, limited edition screen prints.

Print Club talks to Andrew Millar:

What were some of the first images you started experimenting with? 

I started working on photos I took in New York about 12 years ago with spray paint adding in text and collage.

What is it that inspires you to create work in this way? 

At first it was about restricted space creating a collage that fits within that square of the Polaroid. Also I think that something as small as a Polaroid should have the same detail and impact as a large piece.

How did impossible get in touch with you? 

I started to use their film as soon as they launched the first pack. I won quite a few of their early photo contests and so they would use a lot of my work to promote the film and they would also send me certain new films to test out. I’ve had solo shows in a few of their project spaces including NYC and also held workshops for them at the Photographers Gallery in London.

What is it about screen-printing that you enjoy and what made you want to start transferring your current artworks to screen prints? 

My Polaroid work has a graphic quality which translates well to screen giving the whole process a new interesting layer as it goes from a collage that has been created, photographed with Polaroid film, then ripped apart, had gold/silver leaf added, then blown up & screen printed and finally more gold leaf added.

When your not making work what are you doing? 

Looking after my 7 month old baby girl Iza May

Over the next month Andrew will be releasing more prints exclusive to Print Club along with a solo exhibition this May.