York, it's good that they named it once by Haaland Miller, Canvas on Canvas, 2024, ©
Haaland Miller. Photo by David Westwood, ©White Cube
Prior to the opening of the XXX exhibition on March 14th, York-raised artist Haaland Miller donated a trio of oil paintings to the York Art Gallery from his series of inclement weather paintings.
This pop art suite pays homage to three Yorkshire destinations close to the hearts of Yorkshireman: Whitby, Scarborough and York.
The work, painted exclusively for the exhibition's Square Gallery, consists of two large canvas, a 2024 painting of his Covid Curl Tail 2020 exhibition York centerpiece.
Inspired by Yorkshire's upbringing in the 1970s, Miller conveys his love for popular language and creates colorful, graphical slang works that demonstrate his lasting involvement with narrative, auditory and typographic possibilities.
The donated work celebrates memories of his hometown and childhood, and the gallery is pleased to receive this thoughtful gift.
Whitby, Self-catering Year, Harland Miller, Canvas on Canvas, 2024, © Harland
mirror. Photo by David Westwood, ©White Cube
I wrote a short story entitled “After I was born, this was all after all that started happening.” For me, 'this' started happening in York,” says Miller, who will be 61 on March 11th.
“I fast forward to my most influential initiation as an artist, which was undoubtedly the first time I've seen, so to speak, the finest art of meat.
“A very civic facade, it wasn't a child you just wander, but when I… and not abandoned, I became a regular visitor. I saw some great individual shows there, but always loved the lasting collection, especially the ocean views.”
Miller continues: “Fast-forward again. This time around 40 years of strange years, and after showing my work at York Art Gallery, I can't throw it away again! I was so moved by the reaction that after the gallery closed and a week after the exhibition was held, due to Covid, I wanted people to experience my work longer than that.
“I didn't know how long it was, but I can't forever be any longer. I really hope that other young artists will get as much joy as I do from wandering around the gallery. I hope that my paintings will be part of it.”
Scarborough, with faith in cod, by Harland Miller, Oil on Paper, 2024, © Harland
mirror. Photo: Theo Christelis, ©White Cube
Dr. Beatrice Baltram, senior curator of York Art Gallery, said:
“These amazing works were exclusively created for us in 2024 and are typically of character. They are readily recognizable, beautifully painted, and subtly resourceful. We are particularly pleased that all three make great additions to our permanent collection and share the expressive yokes of his new painters.
“The upcoming Haaland Miller: XXX Exhibition will showcase these incredible pieces in the gallery on the ground floor for visitors to see. We are extremely grateful for Haaland's generous gifts and continued support of the gallery.”
To commemorate the donation, Miller has released a limited edition print for York, alongside the curated art marketplace Avantearte, so they once cite it, based on the original painting of the same name. This edition is intended to raise funds for the York Art Gallery.
The 27-color silkscreen print with 600GSM spot colors measured 66 cm of Somerset Tub-sized radiant white paper and is available in 50 editions at AvantArte.com this April.
York-raised artist Haaland Miller has the title work of the XXX exhibition at the York Art Gallery. Photo: Ollie Hammick, Copyright of White Cube, 2019
Billed as a nationally significant exhibition in York, Yorkshire and the UK, Miller's highly planned XXX will be held from March 14th to August 31st, Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
As always, the Miller paints the upbringing of Yorkshire in the 1970s and travelling lifestyles in New York, New Orleans, Berlin and Paris, and displays paintings on paper that were travelled in the 1980s and 1990s.
Matching the release of a book of the same title by Phaidon, XXX features several new Miller works, including ones celebrating his hometown.
The beginning of the chapter.
In these works, Yorkshire pop artists use bold colors and typefaces to highlight the expressive versatility of monosyllable words and acronyms such as ESP, stars, and more.
The exhibition involves Q&A with artists and community activities, allowing them to “stimulate, inform and engage everything.” Tickets: YorkartGallery.org.uk/Tickets.
Back to the front: Haaland Miller walks towards his Pelican book.
