Kenneth Millarson (21 March 1959) is a full-time linguist who, along with his son Dyami Millarson, conducts fieldwork and compiles dictionaries for various language communities. As a language researcher, he is a founding board member of Foundation Operation X for languages, cultures and perspectives. Formerly, he was a dedicated couturier with a studio at the Neude square in Utrecht. Self-taught in art, design, and philosophy, Kenneth Millarson has always emphasised the importance of scientific and philosophical discourse in raising Dyami Millarson, aiming to foster a solid foundation for a philosophical and scientific mindset.
Kenneth Millarson’s art and design are inextricably intertwined with his philosophy of oerfoarmen or proto-forms, which are underlying forms. As humans have the ability to recognise proto-forms, pattern recognition is a crucial element of Kenneth Millarson’s philosophy of proto-forms. Proto-forms are not necessarily natural forms. Proto-forms may even be abstract patterns. That is why Kenneth Millarson always focuses on dwersferbannen or interconnections. As a result of analysing all manner of patterns, Kenneth Millarson’s art and design integrate philosophical, scientific, and religious thought. The reconciliation of philosophy, science, and religion is a common thread throughout his work. Kenneth Millarson’s linguistic work focuses on the links between languages.
As an example of the intersection between art and linguistics, which defines his work, he highlights the interconnectedness of visual art and language in their ability to convey and shape human experience. He asserts, “Visual art is a symbolic system in which artists employ a diverse array of symbols — such as colours, shapes, lines, and forms — to communicate meanings, emotions, and ideas, much like language utilises vocabulary, grammar, and phonology. Just as linguistic symbols, through letters (i.e., orthography) or sounds (i.e., phonetics), construct meaning within a structured framework, visual art builds layers of interpretation.”
Wikselwurking, which in the context of linguistic investigations refers to the dynamic and reciprocal interactions among linguistic and artistic systems, is a concept adopted by Kenneth Millarson. His work as an artist-linguist explores how these systems interact with one another over time, as he is fascinated by the fluidity of language and art and how meanings, symbols, and artistic expressions are continuously exchanged and redefined.