‘XXX’ is a 16 colour silkscreen print created by Harland Miller as an edition of 75. The print is based on a painting of the same title first show in a 2019 solo show at White Cube Gallery, London. The print resembles a book cover, with intricate graphic layering of letters and colours in the upper area that is balanced by a clear, neutral-colored band that bears the title and name of the artist. 

The piece is a part of an ongoing series in which Miller uses monosyllabic or bisyllabic phrases to produce letter paintings with strong edges and vibrant colours that allude to the use of spoken language and themes similar to artists Ed Ruscha and Robert Rauschenberg, among others.

Miller finds significance in the form and design of the letter X, as well as in its associations with punk culture and X-rated films. The letters XXX are composed of layers of different colours, and when they are viewed as a sequence of transparent slides, they resemble motion.

Harland Miller

Harland Miller is a British artist and writer known for his distinctive and humorous artwork that combines elements of pop art, abstraction, and literature. Miller's work often features the playful manipulation of text and imagery, blurring the lines between fine art and literature. Initially focusing on abstract paintings, he later turned to incorporating text into his artworks, drawing inspiration from book covers, vintage pulp fiction novels, and other printed materials. His most notorious series of paintings transforms canvases into satirical Penguin book covers to explore themes of identity, nostalgia, and the power of language.