* 1959, Wilmington, USA. Lives and works in Seattle, USA
American artist
Mumford photographs act as doubles to explore multiple themes. Manipulation and suggestion through linguistic referencing, the language of control, the challenge to accept the modes of authorship and the presentation of advertisement in contemporary culture are all present. His work conflates the meaning of written messages by critiquing how believable they are. Each pictorial suggestion becomes a shifting ground of meaning while demonstrating the ever-present power of language.
Exhibited works
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BF | A | This work is part of an ongoing project in which the text “Nothing Ever Happened Here” is placed at various times into the public domain. The work is an investigation of the idea of a historical event–private or public. The work conflates the meaning of ‘public’ and “private” written messages and how believable they are. For example, Mumford placed this work on the University of Washington campus marking the spot where a grass knoll had been replaced by an insignificant School building. In the 1970s, an activist used the knoll creating historical moment. The sign stays up until it is removed. Or, Mumford at a later date then inserted the sign on the corner in Belltown. This corner marked the spot of a fight the artist had with a previous girl friend. An element of time circles around this project, and therefore, no direct effect on the placement of the message with its location. The artist will continue to place this text in various setting through his career.
Paper, ink, Stainless Steel, vinyl, Edition 1/1 plus 1 AP, 48” x 24 ½”
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Credits All reproductions are courtesy of James Harris Gallery © Mark Mumford | ||