Dan Miller: Stockade

Studio Warehouse, Glasgow, until 24 Sep

DRAWING, SCULPTURE AND PAINTING

One has to wade through the familiar sophomoric references to modernist architecture, ‘dazzle’ camouflage and death to arrive at the germ of what is an interesting talent, in the work on show by Dan Miller in the new artist run gallery at the Studio Warehouse. Miller has brought together a decent body of work that references the above concerns, and examines the fault line where the new technology and machinery of war overlaps with the idea of ‘war’ as a mythological and universal concept. His drawings evidence the tension between the two.

The first piece that the viewer encounters when entering the gallery sets the scene - David’s ‘Oath of the Horatti’ - introducing motifs that are then deconstructed in the drawings and sculptures around the large gallery space. This small canvas, with its reference to the religious altarpiece and triptych format, acts as war propaganda, where personal desires are sacrificed for the greater good of society - issues that eternally resonate. Miller unravels these concerns within his work, within the collages and drawings that act as stage sets for gods and archetypes to perform (‘Monument’ is a particularly resolved piece within this series). The Escher inspired drawings of modernist buildings and stage sets are interesting exercises, but do not pack the same punch as the work containing mythic figures.

More: Visual Art, Reviews (Visual Art), Painting & Drawing (Visual Art), Dan Miller, Sculpture, Stockade

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