If, 2022
Hand-knotted, hand-spun, hand-dyed natural wool
200 x 130cm
(dimensions are variable as each rug is handmade)
Limited edition of 10 plus two artist's proofs
Courtesy the artist
"It's actually taken me a long time to get round to writing this short statement. Basically, I can't think of how to convey this - I can't think of any words - like 'raising awareness' or 'drawing attention to the plight of the tigers' or any anodyne stuff like that, that really cuts through to that future headline announcing, 'Tigers Wiped Out In The Wild'. I think most people read the former statements about declining numbers and how this could happen in our lifetime and feel sorry - maybe angry - maybe really angry - I know I do, but it doesn't go anywhere, then they forget or put it out of mind.
For me, this was a way to actually do something - I'm not saying it's gonna fix the future for tigers - in a sane world these efforts would go much further but - y'know, we're living in a world where people will kill a tiger to make an unproven potion to cure erectile problems or address other such ailments, like laziness! Of course, lazyitus is a huge problem, a dark cloud hanging over our civilisation for sure, but for me - if not murdering tigers means there's gonna be a few more blokes who can't get out of bed, or blokes who get out of bed because they can't get a boner - well, that's okay with me, I'm alright with that." - Harland Miller
Exhibitions
Tomorrow's Tigers, (2019), Sotheby's, London; (2019-2020), Academicians' Room, the Royal Academy of Arts, London
Portrait courtesy the artist and White Cube