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Stuart McAlpine Miller – Altered Images (2018)
Altered Images marked Stuart McAlpine Miller’s debut collection of original works, first exhibited at Castle Fine Art, Mayfair in September 2013. The series established his unique visual language — a striking fusion of high-fashion glamour, classical painterly technique, and the vibrant dynamism of comic book culture.
In Altered Images, McAlpine Miller layers “supermodel-esque” figures over vividly coloured cartoon backdrops, creating works that are both nostalgic and contemporary. His meticulous, almost industrial precision recalls the discipline of a commercial graphic illustrator, while his painterly surfaces evoke the depth and craft of the Old Masters. The result is an illusionary collision of worlds: high art and pop art, fashion and fantasy, celebrity and caricature.
This collection also highlights McAlpine Miller’s exploration of cultural icons and identity in the age of media saturation. By juxtaposing flawless figures against cartoon archetypes, the works question how we define beauty, power, and authenticity in a world saturated with imagery.
Critics have hailed the collection as a pivotal moment in contemporary art. Estelle Lovatt, Art Critic, wrote:
“McAlpine Miller is one of the best artists of our time, painting about our time, in the best way I’ve seen. This is how he is changing the course of Art History — much in the same way that Da Vinci, Monet and Picasso did. The art of tomorrow starts here.”
McAlpine Miller himself reflects on the series:
“I see each of my paintings as a concise history of the main figure and the multiple layers add up to create one story, one moment. There is always interaction between the animated characters and model, which I can create in the way I position them.”
Altered Images remains a cornerstone of McAlpine Miller’s practice, laying the foundation for later explorations into celebrity, fashion, literature, and pop-culture narratives.
