Tanja Jade McMillan (born Tanja Jade Thompson, also Tanja Jade, and Misery; 1982) is a graffiti artist and painter of Tahitian and Chinese descent[1] best known as Misery, based in Auckland, New Zealand.[2][3]
Art career
"Thief" (2015) by McMillan and John Oz, one of two sculptures located on Karangahape Road, Auckland
McMillan was born in Maryborough, Australia. She started painting as Misery in 1997 at Auckland Metropolitan College, where she became friends with fellow student Elliot O'Donnell, best known as Askew, who given McMillan the name Misery.[2][1] In 2010, McMillan temporarily abandoned the name Misery at age 28 when she felt the brand was consuming her[4] by ceremonially auctioning off the last of the Misery works at Webb's auction house in Auckland.[2] McMillan has since reclaimed the name Misery and describes her style as kimo-kawaii, creepy and cute in Japanese.[5] Her husband is well known New Zealand tattoo artist Tom McMillan, best known as Tom Tom.[6]
There are two bronze sculptures named Twist and Thief by McMillan on Karangahape Road, commissioned by Auckland Council to be part of Auckland Council Art Collection in collaboration with John Oz.[7] McMillan have collaborated with many well known designers and brands, such as New Balance,[8] Blunt,[9] Bitra, CasioBaby-G, Telecom, Serato and Piaggio.[10]
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