Paul Mumme was born 1984, Brisbane, Australia. He began painting at age 10 when his parents sent him to art classes, he was lucky in that way. After leaving school he travelled Europe for some time, and a year later enrolled in Fine Art at QCA. He graduated and is now studying Honours. In 2006 his work was included in the IMA’s annual Freshcut exhibition, as well as a Queensland video art survey in their screening room, he received the Churchie Emerging Art Award, was included in a number of group shows and also undertook his first solo exhibition as part of the Metro Arts artistic program. In 2007 he had his second solo exhibition at the Queensland Centre for Photography, his work was included in a major video survey at QUT Kelvin Grove - Figuratively Speaking, his work was also featured as part of the ARC Biennial Exhibition - To Be Confirmed... as well as a touring IMA exhibition Greatest Hits/Previously Unreleased Tracks.

He has also been involved in a number of Curatorial projects as well as contributing regularly to Time Off - a local streetpress. He is also the founder and editor of Wandering Eye magazine.

Artist Statement

My work deals with paradox, irony and subversion of logic through the superfluous alteration, binding and illogical use of functional objects. Encompassing video, photography and object-based works I intend to uncover the somewhat ridiculous aspects of behaviour. In the video works, an action is performed with an object that subverts its normal use. This subversion is created by the protagonist (me) through his own action when environmental factors, logic, or their own action prevents the arrangements from functioning as expected. These inherently slapstick tendencies bring an element of humour to the works, giving the protagonist an almost Buster Keaton style persona. It is through this humour that I attempt to expose the incongruency and confounding implausibility in our behaviour. How we can simultaneously provide and destroy hope. In turn, the videos subvert the (narrative and dynamic movement) traditions of film and video, two essential elements to the moving image.

The photographic works feature domestic objects, and traditional compositions, which have been tied down, or taped to the wall. The latent paranoia in the imagery comes from the application of logic to the scenario. It is as though the protagonist has no faith in gravity’s ability to keep the objects in place, instead embarking on the superfluous task of binding. The obsessive nature of the task tempts comparison with mental illness. While this is an area of interest, personally and artistically, it is not the focus of the work. The protagonist is sane, technically at least. The works question sanity inasmuch as the thought that perhaps the sane are more paranoid than the insane? Ridiculous fears are signified metaphorically through a task, and then amplified through excess or repetition. The tasks are carefully carried out, without any mess in a minimally furnished interior. The madness is systematic, carefully planned and executed. Much time and thought has gone into the binding of these objects, and the end result is a non-event. It isn’t hard to find parallels to these sentiments in the news (be it personal, social, cultural or political) of the past decade. It is planned futility: An immaculate mistake.

In the object-based works, an everyday utilitarian object is rendered useless through the addition of other objects of either similar or opposing function. Based on metaphor, these works are indicative of the more ridiculous and illogical aspects of our behaviour. This is our ability to simultaneously promote and subvert an idea, situation or development. In the works this operates as the disruption of function through the excessive application or illogical combination of functional objects. The works are a nod to Duchamp and the Surrealists, but implement a different line of inquiry.