Editing Scott Mutter (section)

==Career==
[[File:Scott_Mutter_-_Untitled_(Library).jpg|thumb|''Untitled (Library)'', c.1980, showing Michigan Avenue superimposed on the University of Illinois card catalogue]]

Most of Mutter's work was done with images of and around the Chicago area, with some of his earlier pieces incorporating scenes from [[Champaign–Urbana Metropolitan Area|Urbana-Champaign]] and the University of Illinois.<ref name="Fein">{{Cite web |last=Fein |first=Seth |title=Scott Mutter (1944–2008) |url=http://www.smilepolitely.com/arts/Scott_Mutter/ |access-date=December 3, 2013 |website=Smile Politely}}</ref> Mutter was never comfortable with being considered a surrealist, and coined the term "surrational images" to describe his work.<ref>{{Cite web |year=2008 |title=Scott Mutter: A More Perfect World |url=https://photographymuseum.com/scottmutternewgallery/ |access-date=October 29, 2023 |publisher=The American Museum of Photography}}</ref>

His first show was at the downtown Chicago bookstore [[Brentano's]] in the mid-1970s. He then published calendars and posters through several publishing houses, including Avalanche Publishing. His best known work, ''Surrational Images'', was published by the [[University of Illinois Press]] in 1992.<ref name=Fein/>

Some of his most famous works include a montage of fans using flashlights to illuminate [[Wrigley Field]], which was then known for not having lights or [[night game]]s; a photo of [[Michigan Avenue (Chicago)|Michigan Avenue]] skyscrapers superimposed upon an image of the [[Library catalog|card catalogue]] at the [[Library-University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign|University of Illinois Library]]; and a forest growing out of a [[Krannert Center for the Performing Arts|parquet floor]].<ref name=tribobit/>

Mutter never transitioned to the cut and paste technique afforded by Photoshop and similar software but recreated every original print in the darkroom as he thought this was the only way that they were truly "originals". From the few existing originals of each piece he would select the one he considered the most appropriate for reproduction as posters.<ref name="tribobit">{{Cite news |last=Jensen |first=Trevor |date=March 13, 2008 |title=Scott Mutter, 1944–2008 |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2008/03/13/scott-mutter-1944-2008/ |access-date=December 3, 2013}}</ref>

He was found dead in his home in March 2008, age 64; his death was ruled a suicide.<ref name=tribobit/> He experienced depression for much of his adult life, and had cardiovascular problems.<ref name="about"/>