Lee Miller at The Dali

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

The Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, FL has a very interesting exhibition currently on view. The Woman Who Broke Boundaries: Photographer Lee Miller explores the fascinating and intoxicating life of Surrealist artist and photojournalist Lee Miller.

This was a total learning experience for me and it pains me to admit this, but I knew absolutely nothing about this incredible artist before visiting this exhibition.

Her life experiences were nothing short of extraordinary. After a brief career as a model, Miller quickly adjusted to a life behind the camera. Not only was she a fashion photographer for Vogue magazine, but she also captured some of the most iconic images of World War 2.

My favorite photographs were the ones she took of artists that I admire – Leonora Carrington, Rene Magritte and Dora Maar, to name a few.

Leonora Carrington w/ Max Ernst
Rene Magritte w/ his pup
Dora Maar

She also took a million photographs of Pablo Picasso, but who cares about that guy???

I kid! I kid!

My one complaint about the exhibition is that it only had a few samples of her Surrealist photographs. I would have liked to see more of the surreal artwork she was creating alongside her photojournalist work so that I could understand her process a bit better.

Despite that one critique, this is a show that I am so glad I was able to experience. I learned so, so much about this amazing woman. This quote of hers from near the end of her life really hit me in the feels…

“I keep saying to everyone, ‘I didn’t waste a minute all my life’ – but I know myself, now, that if I had it over again, I’d be even more free with my ideas, with my body and my affection.”

For more info on this exhibition, please visit…

The Woman Who Broke Boundaries: Photographer Lee Miller

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I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.