Harland Miller’s Ace (Small) (2019) is a bold, vibrant, and playfully typographic work that encapsulates his distinctive blend of Pop Art aesthetics, literary references, and design-inspired composition. In this edition, Miller distills his approach to a single, monumental letterform — transforming it from a utilitarian symbol into a work of fine art loaded with visual punch and layered associations.
The composition is dominated by a colossal capital letter “A” rendered in a striking red hue, its triangular form rising from the bottom edge of the canvas like a monumental structure. Overlaying it is an equally oversized cyan-blue capital “C” that intersects and partially eclipses the “A,” creating a dynamic visual interplay between shape, colour, and spatial depth. The internal cutout of the “A” is also picked out in cyan, framed by the hot red ground, producing a sharp contrast that heightens the image’s graphic clarity. The subtle shading and tonal gradients within the letters give them a dimensional, almost sculptural quality, while the flattened background keeps the image firmly rooted in the visual language of print and signage.
Beneath the towering letterforms sits a cream-coloured horizontal band, a device Miller often uses to recall the title and author panel of mid-century Penguin paperbacks. In bold orange block capitals, HARLAND MILLER appears on the left, anchoring the composition with the authority of authorship. To the right, the word “ace” is rendered in a softer, italicised grey typeface, lending an informal, almost casual tone in contrast to the commanding presence of the letters above.
The choice of the word “ace” — short, punchy, and multi-meaning — amplifies the work’s playfulness. In British slang, “ace” can mean excellent, outstanding, or simply “the best,” while in card games it’s the most valuable card in the deck. This brevity and openness to interpretation mirrors Miller’s wider practice of using text as both a literal and abstract element, where meaning is flexible and often tinged with humour or irony.
Visually, the palette of saturated red, electric cyan, and warm pink is quintessentially Pop, evoking the boldness of commercial graphics, retro sports branding, and vintage advertising. Yet Miller’s handling of colour — with its subtle shifts in tone and the soft blending at letter edges — adds a painterly nuance that separates the work from purely digital or mechanical reproduction.
As with much of Miller’s work, Ace (Small) navigates the space between art and design, high culture and popular culture. The oversized letters recall signage, magazine mastheads, and typographic posters, yet the composition is imbued with the craftsmanship and material presence of a studio-made artwork. The interplay of letterforms suggests both rivalry and harmony, their overlapping forms becoming an abstract composition in their own right.
Ultimately, Ace (Small) is a celebration of the power of typography as image. It is a work that commands immediate attention with its saturated colours and monumental scale, while rewarding closer viewing with its layered formal relationships and subtle wit — a perfect encapsulation of Harland Miller’s ability to elevate the familiar into the iconic.
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