Miller Museum of Anamorphic Art marks first anniversary in Bengaluru

“This museum is a love letter from a mother and daughter to Bengaluru,” says Cheryl Anita Miller, founder and director of the Miller Museum of Anamorphic Art. Located in a quiet neighbourhood in Cooke Town, this is perhaps the only museum in the world dedicated to anamorphic art.

Anamorphosis is an art form based on optical illusions created with geometric precision and the museum has art by Cheryl’s mother, Shereen on display. The museum was established on September 28, 2025, and Cheryl talks about her mother’s journey and the decision to open a permanent home for her art in Bengaluru.

Girl next door

Born in 1941 to a conservative family in Benson Town, Shereen was not encouraged to pursue her passion as an artist, since, “Her parents not only considered it a male-dominated field, but also believed it wasn’t a repectable profession for a young woman to pursue,” says Cheryl.

Shereen met her husband, Paul W Miller, an American, in 1967, while on an art assignment in Kuwait. Their marriage gave her with both freedom and encouragement to pursue her passion. A chance visit to an art exhibition at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam in 1976, gave Shereen her first glimpse of anamorphic art.

At the time, it was usually created by optical illusionists, but it piqued her interest and on her return, Shereen began studying this art form, and eventually mastered it.

Cheryl recalls, “My mother loved Bengaluru. She used to go to Koshy’s after classes at Clarence High School, and would tell me about her classmates and siblings here. We spent a greater part of my childhood abroad, but would come here almost every year for the holidays.”

Though Shereen spent most of her life out of India, in the final days of her life, she returned to Bengaluru with her daughter. Here, they jointly designed the present-day building of the Miller Museum. Unfortunately, Shereen passed away in 2023, two years before the museum’s inauguration.

About the museum

Once you enter the museum, the effect and influence of Shereen’s art is clear. A strong feminine vibe emanates from her work; the walls are mounted with her early paintings and the floor is dedicated to her anamorphic art work, with wood and plaster sculptures dotting the hall.

Each wall represents her work in each of the four continents Shereen lived on — Asia, Africa, Europe and America. One can clearly see her unique vision, anamorphic precision and philosophy embedded within each of the artworks and sculptures.

Shereen’s early works were deeply inspired by Indian traditions and women. Later, she began painting ballet dancers, women from the Middle East, and conceptual oil paintings centered on gendered experiences.

Cheryl says, “I would like for people to have a sense of pride that Shereen was from here and share her dream of returning where her story began.”

Miller Museum of Anamorphic Art is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm. Tickets are priced at ₹250 for adults and ₹200 for students. More details on millermuseumofanamorphicart.com