Wall of Emotions (WOE)
8.5” x 11”, Unique archival pigment print and red ink on rag paper

Eva Mueller, a non-binary artist from Brooklyn, turns gender identity and social norms on their head. With striking works like their interactive gender puzzle, I AM THEM, and Wall of Emotions – WOE, Mueller mixes photography, painting, and sculpture dialogue. They’re all about breaking binaries and fighting censorship—art with purpose.

Wall of Emotions (WOE) emerged as my visceral response to the 2024 U.S. election results. The Republican victory and its right-wing agenda left me, a non-binary artist, and my LGBTQIA+ and allied communities speechless and flooded with emotions. On Wednesday, November 6, I began photographing similarly overwhelmed friends, inviting them to confront and express their feelings in front of the camera while connecting with others navigating our collective grief. These sessions became a space for release and connection as we were processing a new reality.

Each portrait captures an unfiltered close-up of raw emotion. I asked: How do you feel? and What do you feel? I turned the images into pure black and white to reflect the polarization of our society. I overlaid each portrait with the sitter’s handwritten emotional response in bright red – a color of urgency and alarm. I manually retraced the words with red ink and painted intuitively on each print, creating an emotional bond between each person and me.

By the time ON THE VERGE opens I will have captured close to 80 portraits, a testament to our collective resilience. WOE is meant to be exhibited in its entirety as it keeps growing. The series serves as a stark reminder of the emotional toll of this time. I will continue WOE until the incoming administration is replaced.

Each 8.5 x 11” portrait is available for individual purchase. While the exhibited pieces remain part of the collection, Mueller will create a one-of-a-kind artwork exclusively for each buyer.