evaluTEC Day 1 Video

So the semester is winding to a close and I'm finally able to catch up on some important documentation work from my projects from my first year here at USF.
This video is from my recent project entitled, "evaluTEC".


evaluTEC Day 1 from Ellen Mueller on Vimeo.

Here's a snippet from my evaluTEC artist statement for those that might be interested:

With the evaluTEC project, I address the shared experiences of evaluation and success. Through the use of live interactions and the evaluTEC.com website, I examine how we quantify, measure, and compare ourselves. The project brings to focus an absurd and dehumanizing quality, which arises when applying an objective evaluation to the subjective idea of human success.

The idea of human success is one riddled with subconscious fears and insecurity, in part due to its subjective and unquantifiable nature. Because most humans have had the experience of striving for an intangible sense of success, and suffered being evaluated along the way, an empathy can easily be generated by sharing the these experiences with others. By cultivating this empathy, a sense of connection and community is instantly created. Within a continuously more isolated world, these moments of connection are valuable in altering mindsets and cultivating critical thought.

Three Mouth-Light Arrays to Counter Frightful Darkness

Check out my latest art project!
It is titled, "Three Mouth-Light Arrays to Counter Frightful Darkness."
It is a kit including an illustrated, glow-in-the-dark field guide and three mouth-lights.

The field guide illustrates how participants can complete three performances, or light arrays, which respond with playfulness to the fear normally associated with darkness. The images shown here document myself and some of my cohorts completing the performances. More images are available in this online album.

The experience is to be performed on a street corner or road-side. The three light arrays involve three performers with lights in their mouths, moving through choreographed formations detailed in this field guide. A fourth participant may act as a director and documentarian.

The piece is available online at my Etsy shop. Enjoy!

Emerging Paradigms Conference at USF

Don't miss out on an exciting conference that showcases students' research at USF.

Tomorrow, April 17, 2009 is the Emerging Paradigms Conference from 9am-6pm on the 2nd floor of the CWY Building (New ROTC Building).  

I will be presenting a poster from 2-3:30pm.  Come say hi to me!  My poster will display my recent performance workshop and my plans for completing my Graduate Student Challenge Grant.

Emerging Paradigms is an interdisciplinary conference where graduate students are encouraged to present boards and/or papers on new, emerging research in their field of study. For more info visit us at www.gpsc.usf.edu/conference.

Video of my commercials

Check out the video at the top of this Art Squeeze Blog Post. Around the 2 minute mark, you can see the video of my commercials for "The System" playing on a screen in the background.
Also, more towards the beginning of the video you can see a long shot of Robb Fladry's video about Star Wars.
Go USF grads on the internet!