Ellen Mueller

“The Joneses” – DETAIL

Published on November 22, 2015 at 1500 × 1000 in Collecting Rectangles

"The Joneses" - DETAIL

2015, vinyl wall drawing, dimensions variable

I am interested in the intersection between capitalism and daily activities. Consumer culture is fully intertwined with personal and professional relationships, education, transportation, and shelter. It can manifest as a series of rectangular certificates, diplomas, titles, and deeds that humans collect from birth to death. Desire and access are central to these collections. Within this work, I am primarily interested in developing situations that disrupt familiar social trajectories and hierarchies. Utilizing recognizable apparel and gestures, I am playfully occupying the threshold of absurdity, while asking questions about time, value, routines, consumption, and the monetization of happiness.