The exhibition of Jeff Miller's art at Gallery Urbis Orbis
is thoroughly impressive. "Along These Lines" may deal
with the visual presence of
lumbering and creaking trains of transport, but
Miller's work suggests so much more. Miller has drawn
on the substance of America without pretentiousness,
nostalgia, or blind patriotism. The form of his work
draws on a rich tradition of 20th century art, and yet
it is fresh.

Miller's treatment of his theme, trains, is unique and
diverse. His larger paintings have the formal
qualities of work by someone like Franz Kline, but the
sensibility of a graffiti artist in love with his
canvas. His prints and drawings are simple, but not
shallow. There is a playful sophistication in the
marks, both the additions to the paper and the
erasures from it. The photographic works, tucked at
the back of the gallery, are among the most
contemporary. They have the look of surveillance in a
train yard. Miller's sculptures are bold and
unapologetically industrial, and yet they have a grace
and weightlessness about them. I have never seen
someone treat so bold a theme with such sensitivity
and variation.

Perhaps most spectacular on the night of the opening
was Miller's performance. Miller's art rock ensemble
began their one song assault with a massive wall of
cacophony and noise. My friend, Chris, said to me, "I
feel like I'm standing in front of something very
big." Over the course of a minute or so the noise
settled into a rhythm, the rhythm settled into a
melody on guitar, and then Miller began singing.
Sensitive, pure, and direct is the only way I can
describe the cover of Bjork's "All Is Full of Love"
that emerged. Already a beautiful song, Miller and
friends gave it an original and fitting treatment. I
saw video camera's rolling during the performance, and
I hope a good recording will soon be available for
purchase.

Looking at the show as a whole, I was reminded of John
Dewey's words on thinking in his discussion of "Having
An Experience." Dewey says:

"Thinking goes on in trains of ideas, but the ideas
form a train only because they are much more than what
an analytic psychology calls ideas. They are phases,
emotionally and practically distinguished, of a
developing underlying quality; they are its moving
variations, not separate and independent like Locke's
and Humes so-called ideas and impressions, but are
subtle shadings of a pervading and developing hue."

To Gallery Urbis Orbis, and to Jeff Miller: Bravo! I
look forward to more art of this caliber in St. Louis.
Even with fine museums and alternative spaces
springing up all around, St. Louis will never have the
art reputation of our smaller neighbor, Kansas City,
unless and until galleries sell the works of our
talented young artists. Keep up the good work.

D.S. Eliot