Five Ring Circus
Five Ring Circus
Signed Print
Harland Miller
£11,500-£17,000Value Indicator
$23,000-$35,000 Value Indicator
$21,000-$30,000 Value Indicator
¥110,000-¥160,000 Value Indicator
€14,000-€20,000 Value Indicator
$120,000-$170,000 Value Indicator
¥2,300,000-¥3,390,000 Value Indicator
$15,000-$22,000 Value Indicator
AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.
There aren't enough data points on this work for a comprehensive result. Please speak to a specialist by making an enquiry.
Medium: Giclée print
Edition size: 50
Year: 2012
Size: H 97cm x W 66cm
Signed: Yes
Format: Signed Print
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Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Location | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2022 | Sotheby's Online | United Kingdom | |||
| December 2021 | Tate Ward Auctions | United Kingdom | |||
| September 2021 | Tate Ward Auctions | United Kingdom | |||
| July 2020 | Forum Auctions London | United Kingdom | |||
| November 2017 | Bonhams Knightsbridge | United Kingdom | |||
| October 2017 | Phillips New York | United States | |||
| November 2015 | Bonhams Hong Kong | Hong Kong |
Meaning & Analysis
Executed in 2012 in an edition of 50, Five Ring Circus - It’s All Fun And Games Till Someone Loses An Eye is one of Harland Miller’s iconic book cover works. The Five Ring Circus group is an elite youth circus training group from the North East of England, where Miller was born and raised. It is also the title of a 1998 novel from the Australian author Jon Cleary, from a series featuring Sydney detective Scobie Malone revolving around his investigation into a financial scam in the lead up to the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
When asked where the titles from his books originate from, Miller says “nowhere in particular. Everywhere, anywhere.” He prefers for the viewer to connect to the phrases personally, and draw their own individual interpretations rather than imposing his own meaning upon them. The titles are often provocative or poignant, subversively sociopolitical, sometimes referencing the original author, whilst at other times, as seen in the present work, citing Miller himself as their creator instead. The text takes precedent in his book cover works, as Miller explains, “people read before they can stop themselves.” He continues, “you can really say anything you wanted in the middle panel, because people are already used to the form of the Penguin book, so in that way the text carried more weight than the painting.” Taking inspiration in Five Ring Circus from his cultural and geographical heritage, Miller offers a sardonic title that is typically humorous, laced with underlying violence and sarcasm.
Miller’s book cover works have become hugely desirable with collectors. His work is also found in the private collections of established celebrities and corporate collections. In much the same way that revolutionary paperbacks themselves were sought after in the 1930s and ’40s, Miller’s works have adopted a similarly desirable collectability today, occupying a significant place in the contemporary art marketplace and the artist himself staking his name within the trajectory of hugely successful and important British artists.
British artist, Harland Miller, is renowned for his irreverent reimagining of vintage Penguin book jackets. Playing with nostalgia, cultural, and literary references, the artist combines Pop Art motifs with the brushstrokes of Abstract Expressionism. Miller's paintings and prints are often imbued with dark humour, with works such as You Can Rely On Me I'll Always Let You Down being characterised by an undercurrent of satire and self-depreciation. Exploring the relationship between word and image has undoubtedly allowed Miller's art to comment on the frequent disconnect between representation and reality, and influence artists such as The Connor Brothers in their practice.
