Tom Miller
Art of Strategy Series: No. 1 The Focus 50 Sessions, 2019
Acrylic, Flip Charts, Marker Ink and Post-It Notes on Panel
48” x 48”
Artist Statement
This piece was commissioned in 2019 by Hogan Lovells, a top 10 global law firm. It is a reflection on the hidden, foundational work involved in shaping business strategy. This painting was created exclusively from materials used in the formation of the firm’s Focus 50 strategy: specifically, two working sessions held in Washington DC and London between March and April 2019 involving over 100 people. The painting includes fragments of post-It notes, as well as raw flip charts, posters and a variety of newspapers available at that time.The painting began like the working sessions themselves: loose, somewhat unstructured placement of ideas until recognizable themes or ideas took shape. The piece indicates the unpredictable, yet intentional nature of these meetings. The diamond-like shapes speak to emergent ideas forming in a series of design sprints. Much like the experience of life as a lawyer, sometimes great value crystallizes under great pressure.