Milly Thompson

Milly Thompson (1964–2022) was a member of the renowned artist group BANK. She went on to establish a solo practice as a painter, sculptor, video artist and writer. Her playful, languid and often subversive visual language was informed by sources as diverse as Japanese woodcuts and ikebana, the artist Francis Picabia, the novelist Jean Ryhs, the comedic character Shirley Valentine and contemporary emojis. Her art is characterised by a strong sense of the female gaze, privileging female desire and glamour, but also a purposeful slipperiness of artistic voice and persona, constantly questioning the stakes of making art. In concert with a network of collaborators, her precocious interdisciplinary approach and distinctive voice navigated a processes of self-discovery with a probing defiance.
 

BANK created work for solo and group exhibitions at galleries including Tate Modern, ICA and Whitechapel Gallery. Thompson’s individual work has been featured in exhibitions, residencies and commissions at galleries including Peer UK, Focal Point Gallery and South London Gallery. A solo exhibition will be presented at Goldsmiths CCA Summer 2025 and will travel to Chapter, Cardiff and Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in 2026. The exhibitions will be accompanied by a new publication.