XXX (Small), 2023

Harland Miller   Famous Artists

Harland Miller is a writer and artist, best known for his satirical paintings of reimagined Penguin classics. Bringing together aspects of pop art, abstract and figurative painting, large-scale photorealism and a writer's love of words, Miller is rewriting the definition of fine art.

For the last two decades, Harland Miller has developed this sardonic take on classic Penguin covers, inventing controversial titles which often cite him as the author, though he sometimes plays on the name of the original writer.

His sarcastic titles pay tribute to Britain's tendency towards melancholy nostalgia, seditious socio-political critique, and a curiosity about what words lie behind the book's front cover. Dripped, smudged paint and muted tones give canvases the worn look of a well-read book, with browning pages and peeling spines sometimes visible behind ageing covers.

These reimagined classics now enjoy fame in their own right, leading many collectors and celebrities to invest in Harland Miller art. As a result, prices are climbing rapidly, and pieces often far exceed their predicted values.

Miller's most successful auction results include This Is Where It's Fucking At, which was sold at Sotheby's Contemporary Art Fair in 2016 for £75,000, soaring above its estimate of £20,000-£30,000. Similarly, I'm So Fuckin Hard (Ernest Hemmingway), estimated at £20,000- £30,000, sold for £50,000 at Philips Auction House.