Home of the Surrealists, Lee Miller / Roland Penrose

Can Art Save Us?

Antony Penrose, is the son of extraordinary parents. A photographer, author and rewilder, he is also the Co-director of The Penrose Collection and the Lee Miller Archives at Farleys House & Gallery. At his childhood home in Sussex, Antony conserves and shares the ground breaking work of his parents. His father Sir Roland Penrose was a surrealist painter, poet, biographer and a major collector of modern art. His mother, Lee Miller, was a highly significant WWII frontline war photographer. We talk about her deep, childhood trauma and leaving Vogue magazine behind as a top model to photograph truth, war crimes and concentration camps. Oscar winner, Kate Winslet, will play Lee Miller in the forthcoming film, 'Lee.' Antony talks about biting Picasso as a child, how 'curiosity is one of the most important things in the world,’ and the courage of conviction. He doesn’t shy away from brutal honesty personally or professionally. He talks about growing up with his mother’s PTSD and alcoholism and the astounding discovery of her enormous, photographic legacy in the attic after she had died. He asked Lee once, “Do you mind what people might say about you?” Lee replied, “They can say what ever they like, as long as it’s the truth.” Antony remains loyal to his parent’s core value of truth, ever more important in an age of fake news, propaganda and divisive politics.

Images by permission only: ‘

Antony Penrose, Farleys House, Sussex, England’ by Tony Tree / ‘Dining Room, Farleys House, Sussex, England’ by Tony Tree

Audio edit courtesy of Joey Quan.

Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb

Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview can be found here: https://canartsaveus.com/

Discover Farleys House & Gallery: https://www.farleyshouseandgallery.co.uk/

Listen to the podcast of letters between Lee Miller and Roland Penrose, on all major streaming platforms, "Love Letters Bound in Gold Handcuffs."