I am the Walrus (goo goo goo joob)

Walking into Dave Muller's current show, Iamthewalrus, at Blum & Poe is comparable to entering a friend's apartment for the first time and forming an impression of them based upon their possessions. Mr. Muller has revealed much about his personal history and interests in this, his most autobiographical (according to Tim Blum), and sixth solo exhibition at the gallery. Upon entering the space, the viewer is compelled to closely examine simple line drawings depicting the four Beatles as nesting dolls. Beside these is a black and white portrait of John Lennon, neatly framed, with two googly eyes affixed to the glass above Mr. Lennon's signature round glasses. Next, in the larger of two rooms, we see the core of this show, a series of large framed paintings, each split evenly down the center and depicting two subjects. On several, there is a natural depiction, like a puffer fish, an oak leaf, or river rocks, contrasted against a masterwork reference, like a replica Pollock splatter abstraction. But consistently the two subjects share the divided canvas evenly, denoting their equal comparative values. They resemble domino pieces, seemingly hung to randomly match the subjects end to end. One painting even enters the viewers' space, and lies flat on the floor in a corner, an extension of the matching dominoes on the walls above it.
In the next room, the viewer encounters two black and white portraits of homes. These are apparently the childhood abodes of Mr. Muller, in San Francisco. Their proximity to each other on the wall combined with their focused viewpoint almost make them resemble strange faces more than buildings. Mr. Muller makes several other references to his youth, toys, and music throughout the show, providing a subtly childlike perspective on the simple but beautifully executed subject matter.