An internationally acclaimed York artist is returning to York Art Gallery with a brand new exhibition.
The exhibition from Harland Miller will feature paintings and works on paper from his renowned ‘Letter Paintings’ series – and will feature three new works that the artist has donated to the gallery’s permanent collection.
Harland Miller: XXX will be on display at York Art Gallery from Friday 14 March to Sunday 31 August 2025.
The special suite of donations form part of his ‘Bad Weather Paintings’ series and pay homage to three Yorkshire destinations close to the artist’s heart: Whitby, Scarborough and York.
Painted especially for the Gallery, there are two large-scale canvases – ‘York, So Good They Named It Once’ and ‘Whitby, The Self Catering Years’ – as well as one work on paper, ‘Scarborough, Have Faith in Cod’.
Harland Miller said: “I wrote a short story once titled “It was after I was born that all this started to happen” and for me “all of this” started to happen in York.
“Naturally these were things that were happening for the very first time: first job, a paper round, first kiss on Oggy’s pond.
“Fast forwarding to what was probably my most influential initiation as an artist, which was undoubtedly the first time I saw great art in the flesh so to speak, and that for sure was at the York Art Gallery.”
Harland reminisced on becoming a regular visitor to York Art Gallery and how, 40 years later, he exhibited his own work there for the first time.
“I was so moved by the reaction, that after the gallery closed, a week after it had opened, due to Covid, I felt very keenly that I wanted people to experience my work for longer than that,” he said.
“I wasn’t sure how much longer, but you can’t get much longer than forever and that seemed to just about cover it.
“I really hope that other young artists will get as much pleasure as I have from wandering around the gallery and I hope that my paintings will be a part of that.”
Dr Beatrice Bertram, senior curator at York Art Gallery, added: “We have harboured a long-term ambition to acquire Harland’s work, and are thrilled to finally be able to represent this internationally significant artist in our collection.
“These fantastic works were created exclusively for us in 2024, and are quintessentially Miller in character – immediately recognisable, beautifully painted, and subtly witty.
“All three will make fantastic additions to our permanent collection, and we’re particularly pleased to be able to share his new painterly, expressive version of ‘York, So Good They Named It Once’ with audiences here in Miller’s home city – the original York!
“We are incredibly grateful to Harland for his generous gift and continued support of the Gallery.”
To find out more about the exhibition and to book your tickets, visit the York Art Gallery website here.