The exhibition Matters of Mind shows several works that Christoph Mueller has worked as an artist and illustrator over the past 15 years. Mueller, who has dedicated himself to the topic of self-analysis and reflection, shows in his selection of original drawings his talent for humorous observations and detailed world building. His alter ego “Mighty Millborough” (Millington F. Millborough) lives in his villa “Georgiette” in the small town of Green Valley in the Sassafras County. A diorama of the city, a map and several comic strips give visitors a very clear introduction to this nostalgic world of the early 20th century. Surrounded by majestic forests, situated at a small lake, Millborough sets off to stoll away from his stately villa into episodic comic strips. A walk is not a hike but the impetus for a fantastic, dreamy journey into the inner world of the artist. Mueller’s protagonist is easily distracted, dissolves himself and tries to explain to us his personal reality in a humorous way. Occasionally desperate, he constantly gets confronted with existentialists questions: Millborough’s adventures are stories of confusion, astonishment, and caterpillars; Desire, loneliness and in search for the great all-encompassing secret – if necessary while relaxing in the bathtub.
In addition to his own books and comics, such as The Mighty Millbourogh – Les choses de la vie, he also created commissioned works such as posters for musicians and festivals, record or magazine covers and worked for various renowned newspapers and magazines. Most recently, he designed the front page of The New Yorker – an honor that has so far only been awarded to two other artists from Germany. This pandemic cover is one of the main attractions of his exhibition in the Ludwig Forum Aachen, since the drawing incorporates important elements of Mueller’s work: Subtle observations of his environment play a significant role and allow the artist to influence new worlds. They serve as an alternative to a critical analysis of the present, which can sometimes be dark, as in the free works The Diagram of Universal Insignificance or The Baron of Solitude focusing on their psychoanalytic and epistemological character.
Curated by Patrick C. Haas & Angela Theisen
