Artist Statement

21% of Americans believe in witches. 33% of Americans believe alien spacecraft have visited Earth. Myself? I believe that witches and UFOs are actually the same thing, but I’m not sure if I still believe in my fellow Americans. My experimental research explores the intersections of advanced technology, American society, dark humor, occult practices, and hacktivist strategies. Through my practice, I use techniques like video projection mapping, artificial intelligence, creative coding, biological art, robotics, multichannel sound, and augmented and virtual reality to investigate and experiment with the often invisible ways technology can shape humanity. I come from a working-class family, growing up in a mobile home in rural Michigan, the son of a laid-off auto worker and a 24-hour diner waitress. The activist themes of my work often seek to change the types of prejudices and exploitation I have seen while living in the industrial Midwest and in the former capital of the Confederacy. I bring a wide range of experiences to my work, including my time as a human anatomy lab technician, theatrical sound and lighting designer, alternative visual journalist, and descendant of Salem Witch Trial victims.

Biography

Eric Millikin is an American artist based in Baltimore, Maryland, (previously in Detroit, Michigan, and Richmond, Virginia) with over 30 years of experience creating computer, internet, video, biological, and artificial intelligence artwork. Millikin comes from a working-class family, growing up in a mobile home in the woods of rural Michigan. He is a first-generation college student and National Merit Scholar who earned his BFA from Michigan State University where he created interactive video installation art and AI-generated postmodern poetry, and his MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University where he created live-AI-generated computer art installation and political protest art. His artwork has been featured by WIRED, USA Today, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, and The New York Times Sunday Arts section. His work has been included in recent exhibitions at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, Charles University in Prague, and the Festival and Congress Centre in Varna, Bulgaria. His experimental visuals have won well over 50 international, national and regional visual journalism awards, which includes interactive data visualizations for Pulitzer Prize-winning investigations, motion graphics for Emmy-winning documentaries, and a Society for News Design medal for newspaper front page illustration. Millikin has recently been awarded international residencies at Cow House Studios in County Wexford, Ireland, the Ayatana Biophilium Artists' Research Program “Symbiosis,” hosted from Ottawa, Canada, and the virtual reality residency “Artist is Absent” hosted by Nazar Voitovich Art Residence (NVAIR) in Travneve, Ukraine as the Russian military invaded. He is an Assistant Professor of Visual Arts, Animation and Interactive Media at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION
2021 MFA Fine Arts, concentration in Kinetic Imaging, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts
1998 BFA Studio Art/Art Education, English Minor, Michigan State University, Honors College, National Merit Scholar

SELECTED AWARDS, GRANTS, AND RESIDENCIES
2024 (untitled for now art/science residency, details TBA)
2024 (untitlled for now summer fellowship, details TBA)
2024 (honorable mention film festival untitlled for now details TBA)
2024 Best Animated Film, Aasha International Film Festival, Nashik, Maharashtra, India
2024 Best Animation Film, Bi-Monthly Awards December 2023 – January 2024, The Absurd Film Festival, Cinisello Balsamo, Milano, Italy
2024 Finalist, Best Dance Film, Couch Film Festival, Toronto, Ontario
2023 Artist Seed Grant, PO (Art)Box collective led by curator Sierra Cole, ArtPrize, Grand Rapids, MI
2023 Faculty Mentor, Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship Fellowship, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
2022 Adjunct Faculty Grant for Research, Creative Work and Professional Development, VCUarts, Richmond, VA
2022 Cow House Studios Residency, County Wexford, Ireland
2022 Ayatana Biophilium Artists' Research Program “Symbiosis,” Ottawa, Canada (online)
2022 Artist is Absent, virtual reality residency hosted by Nazar Voitovich Art Residence (NVAIR) in Ukraine, the Košice Artist In Residence (KAIR) in Slovakia, and the Schafhof-Europäisches Künstlerhaus Oberbayern (Schafhof-European Center for Art Upper Bavaria) in Germany
2021 School of the Arts Graduate Travel Grant, VCUarts, Richmond, VA
2020-21 Commonwealth Award in Art, VCUarts, Richmond, VA
2019-20 Arts Graduate Assistantship, VCUarts, Richmond, VA
2019 William B. Clopton Scholarship, VCUarts, Richmond, VA
2019 Association of Alternative Newsmedia Award, Cover Design, third place, two-person portfolio with Tom Carlson
2018 Singer Editions Award, “Boston Printmakers Biennial,” Lesley University, Cambridge, MA
2017 Best of Show, 1st place, “Canvas Pontiac,” Pontiac, MI
2017 Purchase Award, “Works on Paper Exhibition,” McNeese State University, Lake Charles, LA
2017 Printmaking Award, “Order & Chaos” exhibition, Eastern Kentucky University
2016 Best of show, “Endangered” exhibition, The Studio Door gallery, San Diego, CA
2009 Co-winner, Pulitzer Prize, Art Director and Artist, Local Reporting, staff portfolio

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS, SCREENINGS, AND PERFORMANCES

2024

• “The Absurd Film Festival,” Cinisello Balsamo, Milano, Italy (forthcoming)

• “Burano Artificial Intelligence Film Festival,” Venezia, Italy (forthcoming, October 15, 2024)

• “Copper Dragon International Film Festival,” Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom (forthcoming, September 16, 2024)

• “Shapeshift Festival,” National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts, Sofia, Bulgaria (forthcoming, May 31, 2024)

• “Philadelphia Independent Film Festival,” Lightbox Film Center, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA (forthcoming, May 8, 2024)

• “The West Virginia Mountaineer Short Film Festival,” Creative Arts Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, (forthcoming, April 19-20, 2024)

• “Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival (MiSciFi),” Plantation, FL (March 29, 2024)

• “Couch Film Festival,” Toronto, Ontario (March 24, 2024)

• “Spectrum of Process,” Center for Art, Design, and Visual Culture, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, (Curator: Rebecca Uchill) (February 9 - March 2)

• “Aasha International Film Festival,” Nashik, Maharashtra, India, February 7, 2024

• “CineTech Future Fest,” Opole, Poland, January 31, 2024

• “International Folklore Film Festival,” Thrissur, Kerala, India, January 5-9

2023

• “Human Response,” Edinburgh City Art Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland, (Curator: Denny Hunter, Artobotic)

• “Waveforms: A Multimedia Art Occurrence,” finalist, hosted by Boston CyberArts and Mugar Omni Theater at the Museum of Science, Boston, MA, (Jurors: Dr. Leonie Bradbury, Emerson Contemporary; Georgie Friedman, Boston College; Al Miner, Maria & Alberto de la Cruz Art Gallery and Spagnuolo Gallery at Georgetown University)

• “Test Pattern 07,” Institute of Contemporary Art, Richmond, VA (Curator: David Riley). (Live video projection mapping performance with vocalist and performance artist Holland Andrews)

• “Art and Tech,” NOT REAL ART, Los Angeles, CA (Curator: Kirsten Bengtson-Lykoudis, writer/former NY gallerist) (online)

• “The Flint Short Film Freakout,” Flint Local 432, Flint, MI

• “Intergalactic Arts Federation,” PO (Art)Box, ArtPrize, Grand Rapids, MI (Curator: Sierra Cole)

• “Projections at the Peale,” The Peale, Baltimore, MD (Curator: Phil Davis)

2022

• “InLight,” 1708 Gallery, outdoor exhibition at Bryan Park, Richmond, VA (Curators: Tiffany E. Barber and Wesley Taylor)

• “PO (Art)Box,” ArtPrize, Grand Rapids, MI (Curator: Sierra Cole)

• “Elemental Effects: Water, Wind, Earth, Fire,” Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts & Sciences, Long Beach Township, NJ (Juror: Linda Weintraub, curator, critic, author)

• “Salon des Refuses,” Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, Wausau, WI (Juror: David Hummer, Executive Director, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art)

• “FLICKFAIR Film Festival,” Los Angeles, CA (online)

• “Fear Faire Film Festival,” Spring Valley Lake, CA (Honorable Mention)

2021

• “InLight,” 1708 Gallery, outdoor exhibition at/near Great Shiplock Park and Chapel Island, Richmond, VA (Curators: Tiffany E. Barber, Wesley Taylor, and Park C. Myers)

• “Metaworks,” multiple venues including the Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh Art Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland (Curator: Ayshia Taskin, The Wall Space Gallery)

• “Moving Images: pause… restart,” Cabrillo Gallery, Cabrillo College, Aptos, CA (Juror: Clark Buckner, Director of Telematic Media Arts, San Francisco)

• “NEOS Fest: International Audiovisual Experimentation Meet,” Puebla, Mexico

• “Sardinia Film Festival,” Sassari Cityplex Moderno, Sassari, Italy

• “TOFUZI International Animated Film Festival,” Batumi, Georgia

• “World Festival of Animated Film,” Festival and Congress Centre, Varna, Bulgaria

• “Zlatý Voči (Golden Eyes) Film Festival,” Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

• “Animart Festival,” in collaboration with Athens School of Fine Arts, Hydra, Greece

• “Intergalactic Arts Federation,” PO (Art)Box, ArtPrize, Grand Rapids, MI (Curator: Sierra Cole)

• “PostPrize,” Frames Unlimited, Wyoming, MI

• “Reanimator/Reflection,” (solo) The Anderson gallery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

2020

• “Field Test,” from a foothill in the Silvermines Mountains, Ireland (Curator: Aideen Barry)

• “Works on Paper 2020,” Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts & Sciences, Long Beach Township, NJ (Juror: Sarah Suzuki, Curator of Drawings and Prints at MOMA, the Museum of Modern Art, NYC)

• “Brand 48,” Brand Library and Art Center, Glendale, Calif. (Juror: Dan McCleary, founder of Art Division)

• “In Union, Remotely,” (online) Shaker Museum, Mount Lebanon, NY

• “Damned Showcase,” (online) Detroit, MI

• “InLight 2020: Safety and Accountability,” 1708 Gallery, The Anderson gallery, Richmond, VA

• “A Virtual Introduction,” Candela Books + Gallery, Richmond, VA

• “Street Portraits,” part of collaborative guerrilla installation, Marcus David Peters Circle, former Robert E. Lee monument, Richmond, VA

• “Somnambulistic Autonomous Land-roving Enlightenment Machine,” (solo) The Anderson gallery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

• “Premonition/Programming,” (solo) The Anderson gallery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

• “CO(R)VID-19,” (solo) FAB Gallery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

• “Hallow-Screen,” James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

• “Video Call III,” The Anderson gallery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

• “Convergence,” Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

• “COVID-19 Memorial,” Belle Isle, Detroit, MI

2019

• “For the Love of Money,” Studio 45, Brighton, England

• “Emerging,” ARC Gallery, Chicago (Juror: Laura Rudolph Cloud, Associate Professor and Sculpture Coordinator, Michigan State University)

• “Acid Waste,” FAB Gallery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

• “Video Call,” The Anderson, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

• "Lunch Money Print Exchange Exhibition,” Alternative Space Weekend, Yale West Campus, Orange, CT

• "Lunch Money Print Exchange Exhibition," Marquee Gallery, New London, CT

2018

• "Artobotic," multiple venues, Edinburgh Art Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland.

• “Boston Printmakers Biennial,” Lunder Arts Center, Lesley University, Cambridge, MA (Juror: Judith Brodie, Curator and Head of American and Modern Prints and Drawings, National Gallery of Art)

• “Visual Task Force Auction,” National Association of Black Journalists Convention, Detroit, MI

2017

• “Artist Statement,” CICA Museum, Gimpo, South Korea

• “Woven Heritage,” A4 Gallery, Al Serkal Arts District, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

• “19th Annual Works on Paper Exhibition,” Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts & Sciences, Long Beach Township, NJ (Juror: Jane Panetta, Associate Curator, Whitney Museum of American Art)

• “Wheaton Biennial: Printmaking Reimagined,“ Beard and Weil Galleries, Wheaton College, Norton, MA (Juror: Andrew Stein Raftery, Professor of Printmaking, Rhode Island School of Design)

• “30th Annual McNeese National Works on Paper Exhibition,” Shearman Fine Arts Center Annex, Grand Gallery, McNeese State University, Lake Charles, LA

• “Order & Chaos,” Fred Parker Giles Gallery, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY

• “Collage and Digital Madness,” Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA

• “Witch Hunt,” outdoor installation, Salem, MA

• “Trump Won't Stop Us,” Thumbprint Gallery, San Diego, CA

• “Urban Collage: Art of Resistance, Art of Resilience,” Feral Factory/The Crash, Denver, CO

• “Greetings From the Anthropocene,” Gallery 110, Seattle, WA (Juror: Maiza Hixson, Chief Curator of the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture)

• “Canvas Pontiac,” outdoor installation, Pontiac, MI (Juror: Barbara Heller, Director and Conservator, Special Projects, Detroit Institute of Arts)

• “Michigan Fine Arts Competition,” Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, MI (Juror: Noel W. Anderson, Assistant Professor, New York University, Art and Art Professions, Print Media)

• “Art Now: Printmaking,” 117 Gallery, Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor, MI (Juror: Tyanna Buie, Assistant Professor/ Section Chair, Printmaking, College for Creative Studies, Detroit)

• “ArtPrize,” Grand Rapids, MI

• “DAMNED X,” Tangent Gallery, Detroit, MI

• “Black Words: I Have A Dream," outdoor installation, Dearborn Heights, MI

2016

• “Three Rings and Two Parties: the Election Circus,” Wiseman Gallery, Rogue Community College, Grants Pass, OR

• “Chasing Ghosts,” Verum Ultimum Art Gallery, Portland, OR

• “DAMNED IX,” Tangent Gallery, Detroit, MI

• “Little Free Libraries,” Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi, MI

• “Visual Task Force Auction,” National Association of Black Journalists Convention, Washington, DC

• “Endangered: The Beauty of Lost Species,” The Studio Door, San Diego, CA (Juror: Kristin Nielsen, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance)

• “Art Explored,” outdoor installation, Royal Oak, MI

2015

• “Living in the City,” Start Gallery, Detroit, MI

• “Fire Sale II,” Tangent Gallery, Detroit, MI

• “Damned VIII,” Tangent Gallery, Detroit, MI

2014

• “Mercy for the Misunderstood,” Start Gallery, Detroit, MI

• “Loaf Art Featured Artists,” Motor City Yacht Club, Detroit, MI

2013 “Pride, Prejudice and Frankenstein,” guerrilla installation, Metro Detroit, MI

2012 “The Monkey Day Show,” Ice Cream Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI

2010 “Covered,” Headspace Gallery, Dearborn, MI

2009

• “Out of Sequence,” Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery, Keene State College, Keene, NH

• “Out of Sequence,” The Laboratory of Art and Ideas (The Lab)/Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, CO

• “Monsters of Webcomics,” Cartoon Art Museum, San Fransisco, CA

• “New England Webcomics Weekend Exhibition,“ Eastworks, Easthampton, MA

• Justice System Exhibition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

2008

• “Out of Sequence,” Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL

• “Monkey Day,” Basement 414 Gallery, Lansing, MI

2002 “Independent Arts Festival,” OJC Kompas vzw, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium

1997 Greenhouse Exhibition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Melody Baetens, “Things to do this Halloween weekend in Metro Detroit,” The Detroit News, Oct. 25, 2023

Regina H. Boone, “Eric Millikin’s ‘Cyborgs for Rebellion,’” Richmond Free Press, Nov 23, 2022

Mike Ward, “Top five weekend events: InLight Richmond, 'Christmas on the Rocks' & The Lone Bellow,” Richmond-Times Dispatch, Nov 15, 2022

Karen Newton, “The Lights At Night: 1708 Gallery's 15th annual InLight takes place at Bryan Park this weekend,” Style Weekly, November 14, 2022

Victoria Ford, “Can’t Spell Earth Without Art: Examine ‘Elemental Effects’ with LBIF’s Latest Exhibition,” The SandPaper, Surf City, NJ, June 15, 2022, Section 2, p. 22

Sandra Sellars, “Happenings: InLight 2021,” Richmond Free Press, Richmond, VA, Nov. 18-20, 2021, p. B2.

Teresa Engle Ilnicki, et al., “MFA Thesis Exhibition,” Studio magazine, VCUarts, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, Oct. 2021, p. 26.

Bridget Hunnicutt, “Covid-19: Why race matters for health,” Knowable Magazine, June 3, 2021

Paige Alfonzo, “A Topology of Twitter Tactics: Tracing the Rhetorical Dimensions and Digital Labor of Networked Publics,” Social Media + Society, London, England: SAGE Publications, Vol.7 (2), June 2021: 1–21

Emma Winowiecki, “Looking back on one year of COVID-19 in Michigan,” Michigan Radio, March 10, 2021.

Sonja Mackenzie, “‘To heal, we must remember’: ‘Archives of Feeling’ from HIV Activism to COVID-19,” Responding to the Twin Pandemics of COVID-19 and Racial Injustice: Arts and Humanities in a Time of Crisis, Center for the Arts and Humanities, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, Feb 2, 2021.

Steve Burger, “Covid Between the Coasts S1 E2: Detroit - A Day in District Five,” WNIN Tri-State Public Media, Evansville, IN, Nov. 15, 2020.

Grace McOmber, “VCUarts annual magazine exemplifies artists’ role in creating social change,” The Commonwealth Times, Nov. 11, 2020, p 8.

Stephen Fuller and Helen Halyard, “Memorial on Detroit’s Belle Isle provides sobering tribute to the city’s victims of coronavirus,” World Socialist Web Site, Sept. 4, 2020.

“Faces of COVID-19 victims become memorial to Detroiters lost during the pandemic,” Michigan Radio, Aug. 31, 2020.

Andrea Isom, “Detroit honors COVID-19 victims with memorial on Belle Isle,” WXYZ-TV Channel 7 ABC, Detroit, Aug. 31, 2020.

Bria Brown, “Detroit Memorial Day: City Honors Loved Ones Lost To Covid-19,” CBS 62 WWJ-TV, Detroit, Aug. 31, 2020.

Ken Haddad, “Detroit holds memorial day for COVID-19 victims,” WDIV-TV Fox 2, Detroit, Aug. 31, 2020.

Christine Ferretti, “'I couldn't hide my tears': Families mourn at Belle Isle tribute to virus victims,” The Detroit News, Aug. 31, 2020.

Alan Stamm, “A Time To Heal, A Time To Weep: Belle Isle Memorial Honors Detroiters Lost To Covid,” Deadline Detroit, Aug. 30, 2020.

Tresa Baldas, “One mural. 900 faces: 'It didn't have to be this bad',” Detroit Free Press, Aug. 29, 2020.

Ann Emerich, News 10 at 6:00 p.m., WILX 10 NBC TV, Lansing, Michigan, Aug. 28, 2020.

Lee DeVito, “Former Metro Times art director memorializes Detroit's COVID-19 victims using 900 photos” Metro Times, Aug. 27, 2020.

“City Of Detroit: Volunteers Needed For Covid-19 Memorial,” CBS 62 WWJ-TV, Detroit, Aug. 27, 2020.

Sarah Rahal, “Collage of 900 COVID-19 victims to be shown at Belle Isle,” The Detroit News, Aug. 26, 2020.

Pat Johnson, “Works on Paper Show Brightens Foundation in These Trying Times,” The SandPaper (Ocean County, NJ), July 1, 2020, Section 2, Page 14.

“‘A platform of influence’,” VCUarts News, June 24, 2020.

Soo Kim, “Photos and Videos Show Jefferson Davis Statue Torn Down in Richmond, Virginia,” Newsweek, June 11, 2020.

“Cincinnati Zoo's Harambe is Trending on Twitter Again — on the Fourth Anniversary of His Death,” Cincinnati CityBeat, May 28, 2020.

Kim Catley, “An activist artist’s quest for ‘spectacular’ failure,” VCU News, Oct. 28, 2019.

Beth Heinly, “Burnt out, millennial, and artist,” Philly Artblog, July 19, 2019.

Ashley Catherine Woods and Kate Abbey-Lambertz, editors, "Prepping for the rise of the psychic robots with .... Eric Millikin," Detour Detroit, July 12, 2018.

Jeff Karoub, “Winners Announced in Annual Michigan Art Competition,” Associated Press, Oct. 6, 2017. (Published by The Washington Post, U.S News & World Report, New York Daily News, The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA), CBS TV Detroit, National Post (Canada), Kuwait Times, etc.)

Steve Friess, “Mixing Art, Water and Politics: How a Quirky Art Contest Went Political,” The New York Times, Sept. 28, 2017, p. 1C.

Matthew Scheidel, “Made of Money,” The Collegiate Live, Sept. 28, 2017.

“Michigan Art Festival Scrutinized for Ties to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos,” Art & Education, Sept. 27, 2017.

Troy Reimink, “ArtPrize 2017: Metro Detroit artists shine at massive competition in Grand Rapids,” Detroit Free Press, Sept. 25, 2017.

Jojo Girard, “Enough With The Big — Here’s The Smallest Venue At ArtPrize, A Post Office Box,” 98.7 WFGR, Sept. 22, 2017.

Natalie Broda, “Pontiac art competition to be held this weekend,” The Oakland Press, June 16, 2017.

“Art Notes,” The SandPaper, Surf City, NJ, June 14, 2017

Pat Johnson, “Works on Paper at the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences,” The SandPaper, Surf City, NJ, June 07, 2017

Brian Goslow, “Printmaking Reimagined,” Artscope Magazine, Quincy, MA, March/April 2017, p. 72-75.

Jessica Firpi and Wendy A. Reynolds, Editors, Ripley's Believe It or Not! Unlock the Weird!, Ripley Publishing, 2016, p. 130.

“Every monkey has a day!” Daily Times, Lahore, Pakistan, Dec. 15, 2016.

“Kocaeli'de Dünya Maymunlar Günü (World Monkey Day in Kocaeli)” Özgür Kocaeli Gazetesi, Turkey, Dec. 15, 2016.

Victoria Mitchell, “Downtown bike tours featuring local artwork take place this week,” C&G Newspapers, Aug. 15, 2016.

Beth Dalbey, “Tours on Bicycle Built for Six Showcase Art Explored,” Patch, Aug. 12, 2016.

Mike McConnell, “Royal Oak to highlight public art with 6-seat bicycle tours,” Oakland Press, Aug. 11, 2016.

Jason Reed, “Eric Millikin: Soldier of Misfortune,” ZIPR Magazine (Detroit, MI), Issue 9, 2016, p. 39-44.

Melody Baetens, “Celebrations abound for Vernors’ 150th birthday: Pop art,” The Detroit News, June 1, 2016.

M. Keith Booker, Editor, Comics through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas, Greenwood 2014, p. 1548.

“Celebrate Monkey Day in 3D with Eric Millikin,” Detroit Free Press, Dec. 14, 2014.

Jolie Lee, “Sweet or scary? See portraits made of Halloween candy,” USA TODAY, Oct. 10, 2014.

Clinton Kelly, Michael Symon, “Halloween in a Hurry," The Chew, Oct. 30, 2014. Season 4. Episode 39. ABC.

Leila Roelli, “Mosaïques sucrées,” Radio Télévision Suisse, Oct. 8, 2014.

Paul Gravett, “Comics Art,” Yale University Press, 2013, p.122,

“The Sweet Portraits of Eric Millikin,” Ovation TV, Nov. 1, 2013.

“De Halloween, dulciurile iau formă de monștri,” Neptun TV, Romania, Oct. 31, 2013. 

“ΔΕΙΤΕ ΤΑ ΠΟΡΤΡΕΤΑ απο τα πιο... ΓΛΥΚΑ ΤΕΡΑΤΑ φτιαγμένα απο τον Eric Millikin!!” Athens Magazine, Greece, Oct. 31, 2013.

“Eric Millikin, Artist, Creates The Sweetest Halloween Art You'll See All Year,” The Huffington Post, Oct. 30, 2013.

“What Else Can You Do with Halloween Candy? Make Amazing Portraits, of Course!” The Good News with The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Oct. 30, 2013.

Michael Cavna, “THE BEST WEBCOMIC: It's time to vote on your nominations...” The Washington Post, Jan, 22, 2010.

Danny Fingeroth, The Rough Guide to Graphic Novels, Rough Guides 2008, p. 276.

Betsi Freeman, “On-Hand and ‘Out of Sequence’: Comics and minority culture at the KAM,” Buzz Magazine, Oct. 30, 2008, p. 9.

Tom Crippen, “Small Successes, Big Futility,” The Comics Journal, Issue 279, Nov. 2006, p. 105-106,

Ted Rall, Attitude 3: The New Subversive Online Cartoonists, NBM Publishing 2006, p. 65.

Mariko Wood, “Good Comics and Baud Web Comics,” The Comics Journal, Issue 251, March 2003, p.38-40.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS AS CREATOR

“Cyborgs for Rebellion,” Ancient Future Technology, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, MA, Dec. 2022 (online)

"Reanimator/Reflection: Creating Mirrors through Time with AI, Sound, Video and Live-generated Art in the Dark Age of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Leonardo Abstracts Service (LABS), hosted by Pomona College, Claremont, CA, Aug. 2022. (Paper accepted in peer-reviewed online database on topics at the intersection of the arts, sciences and technology).

“Meet Kinetic Imaging visiting faculty Melody Loveless,” VCUarts news, Richmond, VA, Feb. 14, 2022

“VIRONOMICON,” Digital America, University of Richmond's Department of Art and Art History, Richmond, VA, Issue 16, Nov. 16, 2020

“Street Portrait: George Floyd,” Studio magazine, (cover artwork), VCUarts, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, Oct. 2020.

“Seeing Green: Local efforts to ditch plastic straws, stymied attempts at taxing plastic bags, and what you’re getting wrong about recycling,” (Cover artwork), Cleveland Scene, Aug. 1, 2018, p.1.

“A Year of Fear: A look back on 12 months that saw Islamophobia reach record levels in Michigan,” (Cover artwork), Detroit Metro Times, Dec. 13, 2017, p.1.

“Prince Rogers Nelson: Rest in Purple,” (Cover artwork), Detroit Free Press, April 24, 2016, p. 1F.

“Michigan Sports Icons: Players coaches and moments to hang on your wall,” (Cover and multiple interior artworks), Detroit Free Press, Battle Creek Enquirer, Port Huron Times Herald, and Livingston Daily, March 20, 2016, p. 1-15PE.

“Black History Month: Can you pass this ‘Literacy Test’? An artist’s perspective on a civil rights injustice,” (Cover artwork and text), Detroit Free Press, Feb. 16, 2014.

“Eric Millikin takes an unusual look at Martin Luther King Jr. and his 'I Have a Dream' speech,” (Artwork and text), Detroit Free Press, Jan. 20, 2014.

“‘Serious Paper Cuts’: Classic books cut up, remixed,” (Artwork and text), Detroit Free Press, Dec. 24, 2013.

“Eric Millikin sends Monkey Day cards to strangers,” (Artwork and text), Detroit Free Press, Dec. 10, 2013.

“The 12 Stars of Monkey Day,” (Artwork and text), USA Weekend, Dec. 12, 2012.

“Will Ohio count your vote?” (Cover artwork), The Cincinnati Enquirer, July 29, 2012, p. 1A.

Lore Sjoberg, “Alt Text: Going Undercover at an Unregulated Content Farm,” (Artwork), WIRED, March 4, 2011.

“Reading Works: Thousands in our communities can’t read this headline. We can help. Here’s how.” (Cover artwork), Detroit Free Press, Oct. 2, 2011, p. 1B.

"Exhibit 13 explained: Inside the secret deal to hide the text messages," (Interior artwork and text), Detroit Free Press, Feb. 9, 2008, p. 7A.

“A Message to Washington: Invest in America,” (Cover artwork), Detroit Free Press, Dec. 5, 2008, p. 1A.

“Metro Times 25th Anniversary Issue,” (Interior artwork), Metro Times, Oct. 25, 2005.

SELECTED TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2023 present, Assistant Professor, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD

• ART 384: Introduction to 3D Computer Animation

• ART 484: Advanced 3D Animation

• ART 486: Real Time Animation

2021 -2023, Adjunct Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts, Richmond, VA

• KINE 691: Independent Study (graduate level)

• KINE 491: SPECIAL TOPICS: Video Projection Mapping

• KINE 491: SPECIAL TOPICS: Augmented Reality

• KINE 354: Creative Code and Electronics

• KINE 348: 3D Computer Art

• COAR 203: Digital 3D Studio

• ARTF 134: Time Studio

2019 - 2021, Graduate Teaching Assistant, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts, Richmond, VA

• Spring 2021: KINE 403: Senior Studio with Prof. Stephanie R. Thulin

• Fall 2020: KINE 235: Animation II with Prof. Pamela Turner

• Spring 2020: KINE 458: Virtual Interactive Worlds with Dr. Semi Ryu

• Fall 2019: DANC 320: Video Choreography Workshop AKA Screen Dance with Dr. Kate Sicchio

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

2024, Artist talk, “Robots, Rituals, & Research: Artificial Intelligence for Activism and Artwork,” visiting the class ART 620, taught by Sarah G. Sharp, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Feb. 27)

2024, Conference presentation, “Demonology and Deepfakes: AI Approaches to Exploring and Experimenting with the Alien and the Unknown,” Southwest Popular/American Culture Association, Albuquerque, NM (Feb. 21-24)

2024, Roundtable discussion, “The Significance of Esoteric, Occult, and Magical Influence and Reflection in Art,” Southwest Popular/American Culture Association, Albuquerque, NM (Feb. 21-24)

2024, Roundtable discussion, “Dystopia and Disaster in Culture: AI and Apocalypse,” Southwest Popular/American Culture Association, Albuquerque, NM (Feb. 21-24)

2023, Juror, Association of Black Artists exhibition, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

2023, Artist talk, “7 Months! 6 Projects! 5 Minutes! Live animation, spiritualist photography, AI and … ravens?” University of Maryland, Baltimore County

2023, Artist talk, “br(A.I.)ns! The Terrible Truths, Horrific Histories, and Alarming Lessons of Artificial Intelligence Art,” visiting the class COAR 332: Digital drawing, taught by Kaitlyn Paston, Virginia Commonwealth University, VCUarts, Richmond, VA

2023, Juror, “Behold Magnificent,” VCUarts, Richmond, VA

2023, Artist talk, “Time + Space,” Virginia Commonwealth University, VCUarts, Richmond, VA

2023, Artist talk, “3D & Experimental Animation, with: AI! Vampires! Robots! Illusions! Witches! Lasers!,” University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Department of Visual Arts, Baltimore, MD

2022, Creative coding, ‘What is the Deal?” (more info forthcoming)

2022-23, Membership, Live Code RVA,

2022, Artist talk, “Witchcraft Technology: Potions, Spells, Sigils, and Secret Codes. Plus: Robots and Lasers,” visiting the class Kinetic Imaging 233: Media Arts Survey, taught by Professor Andrea Burks, VCUarts, Richmond, VA

2022, Artist Talk, “Artificial Intelligences, Augmented Realities, and Environmental Awareness,” Art 180, Richmond, VA

2022, Artist talk, “Venus Flytraps, Mushrooms, and AI," Ayatana Biophilium “Symbiosis,” based in Ottawa, Canada (online)

2022, Projection mapping installation and one-on-one workshop, Graphic Design MFA Thesis Exhibition, VCUarts, The Anderson, Richmond, VA

2022, Artist talk, visiting the class Kinetic Imaging 354: Creative Code & Electronics, taught by Professor Claire Zitzow, VCUarts, at 1708 Gallery, Richmond, VA

2022, Creative coding and light art for sculpture, Lilian Kreutzberger “loook&&feel | surfacestricture,” 1708 Gallery, Richmond, VA (Curator: Park C Myers)

2022, Artist talk, “Maps, Masks, Monsters, and Microbes,” Artist is Absent, hosted by Nazar Voitovich Art Residence, Travneve, Ukraine (online)

2021-2022, Communications Coordinator, VCUarts Department of Kinetic Imaging

2021, Artist talk, “AI, Extinction Events, and Secret Witchcraft,” 1708 Gallery, Richmond, VA (online)

2021, AI video generation for live dance performance, “Moving Choreography to a New Universe: an AI-Driven Privacy Automation Approach,” with principal investigator Kate Sicchio, assistant professor of Dance and Media Technologies at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts, part of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative

2021, Conference presentation, “The Monsters in the Machines: AI Approaches to Researching and Reimagining Horror,” Southwest Popular/American Culture Association, Albuquerque, NM

2021, Projection mapping, video editing and one-on-one workshop, Craft + Material Studies MFA Thesis Exhibition, VCUarts, The Anderson, Richmond, VA

2020, Juror, Abstraction, Montgomery Art Association, Montgomery County, MD

2020, Commission, COVID-19 Memorial project, City of Detroit, Department of Arts, Culture & Entrepreneurship

2020, Student member, Faculty Promotion and Tenure Peer Review Committee

2020, Sound artist, “Virtual Anderson,” VR gallery for spring 2020 VCUarts Bachelor of Fine Arts graduating class

2020, Video projection mapping, “VCUArts Dance NOW,” Grace Street Theater, Richmond, VA

2020, Artist talk, “Masks, Magic & Monsters,” visiting the class Art Foundation 134, Time Studio, taught by Professor Jonathan Molina-Garcia, VCUarts, Richmond, VA

2019, Artist talk, “Kinetic Imaging and Photo/Film Pecha Kucha,” Candela Gallery, Richmond, VA

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Zayed University Permanent Collection, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

McNeese State University Works On Paper Permanent Collection, Lake Charles, LA

National Action Network, Philadelphia Chapter, Philadelphia, PA

Michigan State University Library Special Collections, East Lansing, MI

Works held in private collections in the United States including in Baltimore, Denver, Detroit, New York, Portland (Oregon) and Tucson (Arizona), and in Australia, Canada, Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Media

The following images are available for use in academic papers, art criticism, artist talks, news media, or anywhere else as long as credit is given to the artist, Eric Millikin. They are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). For questions or to let Eric know where you’ve used an image, feel free to contact him.