Last updated: 27 October 2026
Harland Miller is the Yorkshire-born painter and novelist known for huge paintings of battered Penguin book covers and stacked letters. Here you will find our take on his work, his recent UK shows, and the posters you can buy from £80.
Our take on Harland Miller
Miller paints words. His first Penguin dust-jacket painting dates from 1992, and the main series followed from 2001, pairing the publisher’s faded covers with blunt, funny titles. “People read before they can stop themselves, it’s automatic,” he says on White Cube’s artist page.
His newer Letter Paintings stack and overlap single letters, with his own name printed along the bottom like an author’s credit. Colour carries the tone: “pink for instance suggests levity, the same subject in green has more gravity.”
He is also a writer: his novel Slow Down Arthur, Stick to Thirty came out in 2000. His paintings sell through White Cube, but the Design Museum Shop still sells limited edition exhibition posters from £80.
Harland Miller: the essentials
- Born in Yorkshire in 1964; lives and works in London, according to White Cube.
- Represented by White Cube.
- Paints the Penguin book cover series, the Letter Paintings and works based on self-help manuals.
- Wrote the novel Slow Down Arthur, Stick to Thirty (2000).
- Was Writer in Residence at the ICA, London, in 2002.
Harland Miller exhibitions
- Harland Miller at Nevill Holt Festival, Leicestershire, 29 May to 21 June 2026.
- Harland Miller at the Design Museum, Design Museum, London, free display, 10 December 2025 to 25 January 2026.
- Harland Miller at York Art Gallery, York Art Gallery, 14 March to 31 August 2025, showing Letter Paintings including Boss and Far Out.
- No new show has been announced.
Where to buy a Harland Miller print
The Design Museum Shop sells posters from his 2025 display. Stock can change:
- Limited edition Boss or Yes exhibition poster, £80: 60 x 80 cm (23.6 x 31.5 in), from the Design Museum Shop.
- Posters, £120: titles including Love Saves the Day and This Is Where It’s F*ckin At, also 60 x 80 cm, from the same shop.
- Paintings and works on paper are sold through White Cube, with prices on request.
Our reviews featuring Harland Miller
- Harland Miller Kiss tote: the Design Museum tote, now sold out.
- Harland Miller ‘Oh No’ scarf: also sold out, with alternatives on the page.
Harland Miller prints and editions on CoolCuration
Harland Miller FAQs
What is Harland Miller famous for?
Large paintings of worn Penguin book covers with blunt, funny titles, and his Letter Paintings.
Where can I buy a Harland Miller print?
The Design Museum Shop sells his limited edition exhibition posters for £80 and other posters for £120.
Which gallery represents Harland Miller?
White Cube.
Is Harland Miller also a writer?
Yes. His novel Slow Down Arthur, Stick to Thirty was published in 2000.
More from CoolCuration
- Gifts for designers: for type and graphics fans.
- Frieze London review: our take on this year’s fair.
- British Art Fair review: more modern British art to see.
- Best affordable art in the UK: where to start collecting prints.
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Main image: Harland Miller at York Art Gallery, 2025. Photo: Olivia Hemingway, courtesy of York Art Gallery. Cropped and framed by CoolCuration. Exhibition dates and prices last checked: 27 October 2026.
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