HARLAND MILLER, HEALTH AND SAFETY IS KILLING BONDAGE, PENGUIN PRINTS, SIGNED, SCREEN PRINT, EDITION OF 50, 2015
Health and Safety Is Killing Bondage is an example of Miller’s more provocative, dark-humoured prints from his famous Penguin series, reimagining original titles and cover designs of the popular Penguin books. According to Miller, who grew up in Yorkshire in the 1960s, characterised then by its working culture and industry, the Penguin books had a lasting impression on him as bridges between high and low culture. Drawing on Abstract Expressionism, Colour Field and Pop Art movements, the monochrome backdrop to Miller’s words holds equal significance in these works as his sardonic titles themselves. Through individually colour-coding them, he’s interested in influencing the viewer’s perception of the meaning of language – for instance his choice of black for this print gives the title Health and Safety Is Killing Bondage a more sinister, grotesque aura, than if its backdrop was light pink. The popular design of the Penguin Vintage Classics lends itself perfectly to such clever manipulation. He cites Mark Rothko as one of his primary influences regarding his treatment of colour.
Health and Safety Is Killing Bondage demonstrates why the artist has long been considered a master of word and imagery, his works provide aesthetic humour, both sardonic and nostalgic in equal measure. The work, depicting a dog-eared, well-thumbed paperback combines a satirical statement on the modern world, and a comment on the disconnect between representation and reality. The vehicle – the Penguin Classic – is a safe, well-loved space that lends itself to nostalgic familiarity. What better space to find a connection with the public and call into question that very familiarity. Inspired by seminal authors and artists such as Edgar Allan Poe, Ernest Hemingway, Ed Ruscha, Mark Rothko, Anslem Kiefer and Robert Rauschenberg Miller's works are in high demand.
Miller's working process begins with a high resolution digital photograph of the work, from there he layers base colours upon one another, resulting in a rugged quality, where colours seem to invade one another and seep down on top of each other. Health And Safety Is Killing Bondage authentically recreates a rugged, second-hand book cover, including the spine, with the signature Penguin logo, the title in bold and the artist himself as author against a black background.
Read more about Penguin prints by Harland Miller.
ABOUT HARLAND MILLER
Harland Miller is a British writer and artist, born in Yorkshire in 1964, best known for producing a series of paintings based on Penguin book covers, including International Lonely Guy and Fuck Art Let’s Dance. Miller’s work explores the relationship between words and images. His paintings, sculptures and mix-media artworks combine the two to comment on the frequent disconnect between representation and reality. Learn more about Harland Miller.
