William Justice Mueller IIWilliam Justice Mueller II is a multidisciplinary artist working in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His practice centers around non-traditional Americana as seen through theoretical lenses. He sculpts forms and creates scenarios through event, film, music, and art using relational environments to better understand lack and excess in the void between all objects. In 2021 his "sublime" sculptures harnessED determinate negation to demonstrate the functionality of indirect discourses through material means. in 2022, mueller began his "standing still" series. these sculptures balance, hang, teeter, and stand on the edge of falling over or caving in, but somehow, they stay up. they are named for cities in ukraine.
contact: wjmii@uwm.edu
SCULPTURE
Standing Still
"Standing Still: Kyiv”, 2022, Steel, 47” x 35” x 3.4”
"Standing Still: Kharkiv”, 2022, Steel, 51” x 35” x 26”
"Standing Still: Mariupol”, 2022, Steel, 107” x 83” x 53”
"Standing Still: Bucha”, 2022, Steel, 68” x 50” x 27”
"Standing Still: Odesa”, 2022, Steel, 29” x 41” x 6”
"Standing Still: Kherson”, 2022, Steel, 60” x 48” x 4”
"Standing Still: Lviv”, 2022, Steel, 65” x 28” x 19”
Sublime
Sublime Object: Coffee Without - 5" x 48" x 7" Foam, Coffee, Paper, Ink 2020 Labels from left to right: Coffee, Coffee without cream, Coffee without milk, Coffee without alcohol, Coffee without cyanide, Coffee without death, Coffee without violence, Coffee without kindness, Expensive coffee, Free coffee, Coffee without sugar
Sublime Subject: You Without - 12" x 145" mirrors, adhesive, paper, ink 2020 Labels left to right: You, You without hair, You without gender, You without politics, You without ideology, You without agency, You without history, You without scruples, You without fear, You without freedom, You without pants
Sublime Subject: You Without (DETAIL) - 12" x 145" mirrors, adhesive, paper, ink 2020 Labels left to right: You, You without hair, You without gender, You without politics, You without ideology, You without agency, You without history, You without scruples, You without fear, You without freedom, You without pants
Non-Traditional Americana
New Bench Inside My Burned Down House - 19" x 29" x 17" Wood 2020
New Bench Inside My Burned Down House (DETAIL) - 19" x 29" x 17" Wood 2020
Patriot - Approx. 7.5" x 4.5" x 3" French fries cast in wax, scented with lime, lemon, cherry, orange, grape, licorice, pineapple, and vanilla, French fry carton 2018
Phonometers
Phonometer #5 - 68" x 65" x 36" Scrap steel, treated steel, piezoelectric contact, custom Max MSP patch 2019 (patch software activates color and motion changes via piezoelectric contact when sculpture is touched. The texture and shape of the steel alter the signal to produce varied results.
Phonometer #5 (DETAIL) - 68" x 65" x 36" Scrap steel, treated steel, piezoelectric contact, custom Max MSP patch 2019 (patch software activates color and motion changes via piezoelectric contact when sculpture is touched. The texture and shape of the steel alter the signal to produce varied results.
Steel Abstracts
Steel Abstract #1 - 30" x 16" x 9" Steel scrap, sheet, plate, angle iron 2020
Steel Abstract #1 (DETAIL) - 30" x 16" x 9" Steel scrap, sheet, plate, angle iron 2020
Steel Abstract #7 - 64" x 114" x 2.5", Steel scrap, sheet, plate, stainless, angle iron, treated steel 2021
Steel Abstract #7 (DETAIL) - 64" x 114" x 2.5", Steel scrap, sheet, plate, stainless, angle iron, treated steel 2021