The Miller Museum in Cooke Town opened in September 2025 and is dedicated to the work of Shereen Miller, an artist who mastered optical illusion art.
The Miller Museum of Anamorphic Art in Bengaluru has marked its first anniversary. Founder and director Cheryl Anita Miller calls it a “love letter” to the city from a mother and daughter. The Cooke Town museum is dedicated to the work of her mother, artist Shereen Miller.
Anamorphosis uses precise geometric construction to create optical illusions. Cheryl says the museum was established on September 28, 2025, and may be the only museum in the world devoted entirely to this art form.
Shereen was born in Benson Town in 1941. Her daughter says her parents did not encourage her artistic pursuits, considering art a male-dominated field and an unsuitable profession for a young woman. In 1967, Shereen met American Paul W. Miller in Kuwait, where he was on an art assignment. Their marriage gave her freedom and support to develop her talent.
Shereen first encountered anamorphic art at an exhibition at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum in 1976. She began studying the form after returning home and eventually mastered it. Her early works drew on Indian traditions and women; later she painted ballerinas, women from the Middle East and themes of gendered experience.
The museum displays early paintings, wooden and plaster sculptures, and anamorphic works. Its sections reflect the four continents where Shereen lived: Asia, Africa, Europe and America. In the final years of her life, she returned to Bengaluru with Cheryl, and the two designed the museum building together. Shereen died in 2023, before the permanent exhibition opened.