“I don’t want to lean too much on the horoscope – but I’m a Pisces, so I guess water is my element,” Harland Miller tells Artspace from his studio in Peckham, South East London.
He’s talking about R U OK? the amphora he has created in collaboration with Artspace, Avant Arte and the non-profit charity: water.
Amphorae were traditionally used in ancient Greece as storage jars for wine or water. They are characterized by their gentle curves and pointed base.
Miller’s creation is one of seven amphorae Artspace is offering for sale, created by artists: Hilary Pecis, Josh Smith, Adam Pendleton, Jenny Holzer, Jordan Casteel, and Derek Fordjour.
You can learn more about the amphorae and register for the draw to buy one or more here.
Based on a painting of the same name, R U OK? poses a question and a greeting in its simplest form. Miller’s use of abbreviation calls to mind online communication and contrasts it with the time taken to impart the phrase on canvas or clay. Within this abstract composition, the letters used become warped by the curvature of the amphora they surround.
“Transposing a painting onto a three-dimensional object is challenging,” Miller tells Artspace. “This is a vase and, as such, has no real front, back, or sides – but simultaneously, it has all of those things.”
“It’s an interesting process insofar as all those things you did on the painting that seemed quite loose and spontaneous—they take on real technical importance when you mess around with them.”
Proceeds from the sale of each amphora will go to charity: water - a nonprofit organisation founded in 2006 which brings clean and safe water to people around the world.
Each amphora is priced at €6,000 (excl. VAT and shipping), and the complete set is available at a special price of €35,000 (excl. VAT and shipping).
We asked Miller a few questions about his involvement in the project and how the amphora he created relates to his wider work.
How did the prospect of making an amphora resonate with you? Well, I don’t want to lean too much on the horoscope – but I’m a Pisces, so I guess water is my element. I’m connected to it through that. I’m not really a mad fan of deserts – or those movies where people cross them, stop, open their mouths, and up-end their water flasks over their faces to shake out the last drops. That’s always a terrible moment for the character. After that, it’s the torture of the imaginary mirage – well, that’s what a mirage is, imaginary. But I do find it fascinating that the mind can hallucinate an oasis. That’s the power of water – the place it occupies in your subconscious.
The joy of finding water is, to my mind, always badly acted, though. However I’m always relieved for the character. Nevertheless, even if you’re doing the method, you’re never going to die from thirst or lack of clean water – you don’t know what that’s like. Neither do I, obviously. That’s why I’m talking about movies.
What specific challenges did the form present? Transposing a painting onto a three-dimensional object is challenging, yes! All the relative values change, and even when they are fixed, they carry on changing according to your point of view. This is a vase and, as such, has no real front, back, or sides – but simultaneously, it has all of those things.
It’s an interesting process insofar as all those things you did on the painting that seemed quite loose and spontaneous—they take on real technical importance when you mess around with them.
Why is it important for you to partake in a project that raises funds for charity: water? I think I broached this already – I do love water. I’ve talked about swimming before, and one of my favourite writers, Haruki Murakami, has spoken about swimming too, about how it had been one of the really good things in his life – how it had never let him down. I love the simplicity of that.
When it comes to the freestyle or front crawl, we are obviously talking about large bodies of water. The idea that people don’t even have enough to drink was enough for me to get involved in this. Actually, this is the second amphora I’ve made for charity. The first one was an actual amphora – not scaled down. I made it into a circular fountain that played the Tom Jones classic Cool Water on loop.
Where will you put your own amphora? Well, right now, it’s on the mantelpiece above the fire, next to an array of ashes: a dog and several family cats… and my father, actually, who wasn’t wild about cats – not in this life, anyway.
But it’s looking fine there, and I’ve no plans to move it. It seems to sit very harmoniously up there. Plus, there’s a mirror over the fireplace, which affords a view of the other side. The other side of the pot, that is – not the afterlife. But hey, you can see in it whatever you want.
See all seven amphorae here. And if you're interested in Harland Miller's Letter Paintings you might be interested in a forthcoming Phaidon book Harland Miller: XXX available for pre-order here.
All seven amphorae. From left created by: Jenny Holzer, Derek Fordjour, Adam Pendleton, Josh Smith, Jordan Casteel (back), Hilary Pecis (front), Harland Miller.
