York So Good They Named It Once
York So Good They Named It Once
Unsigned Print
Harland Miller
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84 x 56cm, Lithograph
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Meaning & Analysis
Printed in 2020, York So Good They Named It Once is an offset lithograph by Harland Miller. The print depicts the dust jacket of a Pelican book, titled York So Good They Named It Once. The book's jacket is rendered in pale blue with the title in bold black writing in the centre of the composition. Below the title, Miller includes the publisher’s logo, a flying pelican.
York So Good They Named It Once is the name of the exhibition Miller put on in York Art Gallery between February and May 2020 which included his renowned Penguin Book Covers as well as his Pelican Bad Weather Paintings. This print is part of the Pelican Bad Weather series, which was inspired by Pelican books, the non-fiction, educational imprint of Penguin books. Miller was surrounded by books as a child, and this print reflects how books were an important part of his childhood. The series makes references to the culture and geography of the North of England where Miller grew up and this print is a direct reference to Yorkshire, where the artist was born and raised. Many of the other works in this series also refer to Yorkshire and its beautiful coastline.
A renowned writer and artist, this print combines Miller’s interest in literature and art. Miller started painting book covers when he was living in Paris in the 1990s. It was in Paris that he developed his characteristic practice of substituting book titles for witty titles that related to his own life experiences. Miller has become known for the re-titling which is exemplified in this print.
British artist, Harland Miller, is renowned for his irreverent reimagining of vintage Penguin book jackets. Playing with nostalgia, cultural, and literary references, the artist combines Pop Art motifs with the brushstrokes of Abstract Expressionism. Miller's paintings and prints are often imbued with dark humour, with works such as You Can Rely On Me I'll Always Let You Down being characterised by an undercurrent of satire and self-depreciation. Exploring the relationship between word and image has undoubtedly allowed Miller's art to comment on the frequent disconnect between representation and reality, and influence artists such as The Connor Brothers in their practice.