Harland Miller’s On Me Not In Me; Health and Safety is Killing Bondage; There’s No Business Like No Business (2015) is a triptych that exemplifies the artist’s signature approach of reimagining vintage book covers with provocative, ironic, and darkly humorous titles. In this set, Miller draws on the visual and tactile nostalgia of mid-century Penguin and other classic publishing designs, layering them with contemporary cultural commentary and a richly textured painterly style.
Health and Safety is Killing BondageThis panel adopts the familiar Penguin paperback format, with horizontal black bands framing a warm ochre centre panel. Across the top, HARLAND MILLER appears in black capitals, followed by the stark proclamation: HEALTH AND SAFETY IS KILLING BONDAGE. The typography is bold and assertive, with “KILLING BONDAGE” in exaggerated, oversized capitals that dominate the composition. At the bottom, the Penguin logo in matching black stands against the ochre, anchoring the work in Penguin’s design tradition. The deliberately distressed edges, surface scuffs, and paint drips at the base lend the cover a sense of history and imperfection, underscoring Miller’s interest in the life and wear of physical books.
On Me Not In MeThis work diverges slightly from the Penguin layout, instead referencing marbled-cover classics. The background is a black-and-gold mottled pattern, suggestive of old leather-bound volumes, with a rectangular ochre panel at its centre containing the title On Me Not In Me. The text is printed in restrained, serif type, with Harland Miller appearing below in smaller capitals. The phrase is loaded with double meaning — teasingly provocative, yet open-ended enough to spark varied interpretations. The marbled effect is layered and painterly, creating depth and texture that evoke the tactile pleasure of antique book surfaces.
There’s No Business Like No BusinessHere, Miller adapts the Penguin Plays series design, using deep navy as the dominant colour. The top title, PENGUIN PLAYS, appears in stylised dotted capitals, reminiscent of theatre marquee lights, adding a visual nod to performance culture. Below, a horizontal gold band features HARLAND MILLER in black type, with the title THERE’S NO BUSINESS LIKE NO BUSINESS positioned beneath in matching black capitals. The phrase wittily subverts the showbiz adage “There’s no business like show business,” replacing it with a dry, cynical comment on inactivity or disengagement. The worn corners, faded gold, and uneven colour saturation contribute to the book’s vintage authenticity while preserving its graphic clarity.
As a triptych, these three works share a cohesive palette of gold, ochre, black, and navy, unifying them visually while allowing each to retain its unique design identity. The aged, distressed treatment in all three pieces reinforces Miller’s fascination with the patina of old books — not just as objects, but as carriers of memory, culture, and wit. The titles, with their blend of satire, innuendo, and cultural observation, invite both laughter and reflection, encapsulating Miller’s talent for merging high art, literary nostalgia, and biting social commentary.
In On Me Not In Me; Health and Safety is Killing Bondage; There’s No Business Like No Business, Miller once again transforms the humble book cover into a rich, multilayered object of contemporary art — one that operates as both a visual feast and a sharp, conceptual statement.