Why Are We Here?

MutMuz Gallery represents a significant milestone in Mark Mothersbaugh’s career, providing an intimate look into his intellectual curiosity and visual imagination. The gallery's name derives from Mutato Muzika, his Los Angeles-based production studio, which itself takes its name from the playful fusion of "Mutant" and "Potato."

“I consider myself a contemporary social scientist. At least, that was the term we came up with when we were starting Devo back in the early ’70s to avoid the moniker “artist”—though, of course, we were. We wanted to distinguish ourselves from much of what passed for “art” at the time, which didn’t resonate with us.

I have been collecting and archiving since I was a kid—hence the “contemporary social scientist” title. This also extended to my artwork. I never cared much about selling it back then. I’d create an edition of prints and occasionally show them in group or solo exhibits, but I kept my visual art separate from the commercial recording industry Devo was entangled in. I was content just making the work and storing it away.

Fast-forward a few decades, and those storage containers expanded into a warehouse. As I archived my work, I realized there was no good reason to keep thousands of drawings, paintings, and prints locked away.

Which brings us to why we’re here.

I want to make these works more accessible to collectors and fans outside the traditional gallery system. Sharing this art directly feels like the right way to reconnect with it and with the people who appreciate it.”

- Mark Mothersbaugh