Luxembourg-based conceptual installation artist Sali Muller dives into the world of self-image through materials she uses to create a reflective multiverse. While exploring unordinary ways to show co-existence with human self image and vanity, she brings a mystical vision into the physical world through her implementation of mirrors, light, sound, found objects and nature-inspired photography.

Muller’s work can be found in private collections worldwide, as well as institutions such as Municipality of Strassen, the IKOB Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Lissone. She has also been the recipient of countless awards and nominations such as the Prix Jeune Artiste at the Biennale d’Art Contemporain, Luxembourg; Incubarte Award at the 7th International Art Festival, Valencia; Bloom Award Nominee, Cologne; International Emerging Artist Shortlist, Dubai; and the Premio della Critica at the Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Lissone.

Tell us a little about you. Where are you from? How did you get your start?

I’m currently based in Luxembourg, a very small country in the middle of Europe. I graduated in Visual Arts. After my studies in France I returned to Luxembourg and started working as an independent artist. I rented an old mechanic’s garage on the outskirts of Luxembourg City and transformed it into my working space. Since my early childhood, I have always related to architecture and was fascinated by uncommon geometrical shapes and objects, which as an adult, made me look deeper into movements such as modern and postmodern architecture, deconstructionism or Bauhaus. Those experiences paved my way into concept art, “refracting” my artworks, breaking or fragmenting them.

What initially inspired you to start working toward creating experiential art? Which kinds of non-traditional materials do you find yourself wanting to work more with?

At the beginning of my career, I was trying to find my own personal touch, starting multiple projects and creating a lot of artworks that did not fully satisfy my own expectations. Nowadays, I learnt to reflect and rethink my initial ideas, elaborate them without the pressure or need to “produce” every single one of them. But a never changing element or recurrent pattern in my entire oeuvre was and is the use of mirrored surfaces, allowing me to open an associative space of thought.

As an object of physical representation, mirrors have been of great cultural and art historical significance for centuries : from self-contemplation, the image of the soul, to the motif of transience or the transitions of real worlds into magical parallel universes. They allow a variety of imaginary reflections and experiences. As a metaphor of reflection, the mirror expands the view of self-knowledge and self-contemplation. I use the mirrors as a starting point for my artistic practice in order to "refract" them, break them or fragment them.

How do you go about creating a multidimensional exhibit experience?

The multidimensional work shown at my ‘Life on Tralfamadore’ exhibition in Milan generates a sense of disorientation by the existence of a ‘fourth’ dimension allowing the transformation of a three dimensional body into its mirror image, reflected on and through rotating dichroic panels. Large-scale works allow me to transform the entire exhibition space into an ever-changing space of reflections, thus giving the audience an aesthetic and physical experience that goes beyond self-contemplation.

By doing this, the reflecting surfaces visually remove spacial boundaries, and the view is directed behind the light-reflecting surfaces and motifs. The general viewing habits are lifted and there is a change of perspective, in which not only the room situation is renegotiated.

What are your studio days typically like?

I am trying to work every day, as long as my two and a half year old daughter leaves me to it. I’m a night owl, for me late at night is the best time to think about new ideas for my artistic projects. The competition is imposing a very high workload in order to be successful in this fast growing market. Half the time I am brainstorming and creating new ideas for future projects, while refreshing my website and other social media I am using to further increase my notoriety.

How is being an Artist where you live? What is the creative culture scene like?

Luxembourg is a very nice place for living, we have some very good galleries and major institutions. But Luxembourg is a very small country too, so if you are waiting for some good open calls, it’ll be a long time. You have to try to get out and show yourself in international exhibitions to gain some reputation. For several years, artists from Luxembourg get the opportunity to showcase, alongside with international artists, their works at an internationally acclaimed art fair, showing the public what’s going on at the Luxembourgish and international art scene.

What are some of your favorite pieces you created to date?

One of my favourite works is my installation piece ‘Der Moment in dem sich alles dreht’, inspired by the vivid play of light and illusions. New time periods emerge with the superimpositions and illusions - they seduce the audience by attracting them behind the enigmatic surfaces and confront it with self-reflection and the unconscious and hidden interior. Not only the objects are in motion but also the thoughts of the viewer. In a regularly circular movement, several mirror surfaces move and create a hypnotizing effect. The artwork is a multi-part cybernetic sculpture that activates the space and the entire motor activity or movements within.

What are some of your goals for 2021? What’s next?

My main goal for 2021 is being able to live my artistic passion every day. I am preparing several upcoming exhibitions including solo shows at the Galerie Bacqueville in France and the Flat - Massimo Carasi in Milan, as well as some group participations including the Times Art Museum in Beijing and the Modern Art Museum of Algiers.

Exploring Self-Reflection and Visual Culture with Sali Muller