Anna Muller | Portfolio
An excerpt from the portfolio of Anna Muller in 1605 Magazine No.2 Illusion
Images: Anna Muller
Anna Muller (b. 1981, the Soviet Union) has always known that the world around us, the images before us, are nothing but an illusion. Everything is open to interpretation, and whatever we see can be turned on its head, recoded and reimagined in a surprising, refreshing way. Mass production becomes contemplative production; minimalism is injected with whimsy and humour. Muller’s much lauded works have captured the hearts of both viewers and critics around the globe for the last 20 years.

There is a powerful history of poster culture and graphic aesthetics in the Soviet Union, and that heritage is immediately apparent in Anna Muller’s work. At an early age, Muller was already spending hours poring over collage snipping, reassembling and combining visual fragments as a form of artistic expression.

As she grew up, her creative impulse only grew stronger; she decided to leave her home country behind and seek inspiration in Japan before eventually moving to Paris. The rich tradition, precision and pared-back aesthetics of Japan found their way seamlessly into her work, as did the quirky edginess she picked up working as a commercial photographer in France.

Today, Muller gracefully moves between fashion and art. There is little delineation between her artistic practice and her commercial work. Both are imbued with her inimitable flair; both abstract initial meaning through playful composition.