Six questions for
Megan Mueller

Tique asks six questions to an artist about their work and inspiration.
This week: Megan Mueller.

Artist Megan Mueller
Lives in Los Angeles, CA
Website https://www.meganmueller.com/

How do you describe your own art practice?

Using a scanner to make images, I capture visual information in the 8 1/2 x 11-inch format using the terrazzo sidewalks of Los Angeles as subjects. Fragmented sections are then printed at a 1-to-1 scale and tiled together recreating the sidewalks in inkjet prints. Focusing on objects becoming a memory, I take my scanner on walks and hold it up to surfaces in order to scan their contents. The images are influenced by my hands shaking and the light leaks that occur when scanning something that is not flat. These gestures in combination with how a scanner gathers information create glitches, distortion, and high contrast. By creating images with a flatbed scanner instead of a camera, materials are captured horizontally and are no longer subject to gravity. Dust, dirt, and detritus become as central in the images as the object being scanned. These images are imperfect just as our memories are imperfect.

Which question or theme is central to your work?

Maintenance and memory are central to my work. Here are some of the questions I think about: what distinctive qualities does an object have? Is everything an object? How was an object designed to be used? Can it be misused? What is the proximity of objects in a location? Are shared contexts intentional? What do objects need? What do objects want? Are objects adapted to the needs of those who experience them? What are the values of an object? How is an object cared for? What does an object prioritize?

What was your first experience with art?

As a child, I remember thinking my grandmother had nice jewelry and that I would like to wear jewelry. So I drew bracelets, a watch, and earrings and taped them to my ears, neck, and wrists.

What is your greatest source of inspiration?

I am heavily influenced by the absurdity of objects like clocks, level vials, bedazzled flowers, and infinity pools. I tend to think spatially, in cast shadows but underestimate gravity, wind, and weight.

What do you need in order to create your work?

A place to explore.

What work or artist has most recently surprised you?

Tayla Petrillo

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