Joseph Mougel: Artist Now Lecture
Claire Haggarty

 Joseph Mougel, in addition to being the head of the photography department at UW-Milwaukee, was a guest speaker at our Artists Now! Lecture series.  Mougel uses a variety of styles and mediums while creating work and seems to draw quite a bit of inspiration from his time in the military. This is especially evident in his series Blanc. This specific series takes men and women in uniform and “white washes” them in away in order to strip them of an identity of sorts. I think it also allowed for a strong sense of disconnect as well as, in a way, erases traces of individuality from person to person.

Overall, I found the lecture to be very encouraging in the sense that our teachers have been able to find their own success with their work and that they will be able to advise us as well as we enter that stage in our own future careers.

Event Report - Joseph Mougel - Artist Talk

Joseph Mougel
Photographer

By Kylee Jo Diedrich

Recently Joseph Mougel treated Artist Now! students to a lively talk about his artwork. He gave an overview of projects he completed while a Marine to his current work as a professor and Photography Area Head at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  Joseph went from handing out slide projectors to his fellow Marines, to creating videos of himself digging holes.

I found his most memorable body of work to be Blanc, a series of portraits of people painted stark white, in military uniforms.This work creates a discussion about the invisibility and uniformity the uniforms gave people.  He explained how his feelings evolved as he wore his uniform and he used this projects to meditate upon his new civilian life.

Blanc 004

Another project in which Mougel focused on his life in the military is Rabbit to Bee, showcasing the altered life he now leads. Arguably, most of his work relates back to his life as a Marine when everything was systematic, organized, repetitive, and inquisitive. His hole digging recalls when he had to dig numerous holes on the base. His videos of people following orders links back to when someone was telling him what to do or say.  I find the meditative nature of Mougel's work revealing to those who never experienced military life.  

The way Mougel approaches his work is similar to mine.  I think about the way the images can subtly discuss a topic and work many iterations of a project until a good solution can be made.  He is a great mentor and his process in creating is spread amongst all of his students.  Mougel uses humor, satire, environmental interests, and his military career to fuel his work.  I too use my past to influence my work as I grow as a photographer in today's world.