GAINESVILLE, Florida—Tom Miller’s extravagantly sexual and profane images graced the walls of The Story House as I walked through the creaking entranceway to view his show entitled, “Paintings and Dirty Little Magic Marker Drawings.” The atmosphere and lighting were dim—adding to The Story House’s natural charm while effectively spotlighting Miller’s work.

The first painting on display was titled “Android,” and though its title belied a lack of obvious religious influence, the manner in which it hung, and the neighboring image (“The Lord of the Underworld”, a portrayal of the character from the myth Eurydice), provided a substantive basis for religious comment. Perched diagonally from each other, the two works juxtaposed a jocular attempt at a Christ-figure representation with a serious depiction of a comically animated Lord of the Underworld. Such a somber introduction to Tom Miller seemed out of place, but was quickly explained and excused by the sexually explicit images and cartoons which followed.

In his typical style, Miller’s show was an odd mix of silly, blasphemous drawings and contemplative reflections which dealt with solemn topics. In the end, it seemed as if Miller grasped the figurative dirt off Gainesville’s streets, flung it on canvas and framed it for the public. In this, he transformed many of the most important and personal themes in human experience into an absolute farce, and and a serious critique of contemporary human sexuality.